Aarón Sánchez

The son of celebrated Mexican cooking authority Zarela Martinez, Aarón's passion, commitment and skills have placed him among the country's leading contemporary Latin Chefs.

Aarón began his career with Food Network as co-host of Melting Pot, where he introduced a national audience to his technique and creativity with contemporary interpretations of classic Latino cuisine. Today Aarón appears on multiple Food Network shows including; Chopped, Chefs vs. City, Iron Chef, Next Iron Chef, Throwdown with Bobby Flay, Food Detectives and more.

Aarón is the owner and executive chef of restaurants Paladar and Centrico, both located in New York City. He also was a co-developer of the eatery Mixx, a part of the Borgata Hotel and Spa in Atlantic City.

In February 2001, Aarón teamed up with Eamon Furlong to open Paladar, a pan-Latin inspiration on the Lower East Side. Funky but chic, Paladar incorporates the vibrant energy of the neighborhood with the relaxed intimacy and warmth of a Cuban Paladar. In its first year, Paladar won Time Out New York's 2001 Award for Best New Lower East Side Restaurant and Best Latin American Restaurant in their 2002 Eating and Drinking Guide.

In 2004, Aarón opened up Centrico with renowned restaurateur Drew Nieporent of the Myriad Restaurant Group (Nobu, Tribeca Grill, etc.). With the new restaurant, Aarón goes back to his roots to cook the Mexican food of his childhood with a fresh interpretation.

In 2005 Aarón was named one of People En Espanol's (the country’s #1 Latin Magazine) 50 Most Beautiful People. The same year he was also nominated as the "Rising Star Chef of the Year" by the James Beard Foundation.

Aarón is a restaurateur, television personality, consultant, spokesperson and author. His first book, La Comida del Barrio (Clarkson Potter 2003), including recipes and photographs by Emmanuel Bastien, was published in May 2003. Aarón makes international appearances conducting cooking demos and speaking, where he shares his knowledge and passion for cooking and Latin cuisine/culture with thousands of admirers throughout the year.