Alex Garcia

The Climb

Training at Northeastern University, Culinary Institute of America, and Florida International University gave Alex Garcia the base for a career that moved quickly from study into service. That foundation shows up in the sequence that followed: chef at Yuca restaurant in Miami, then co-founder at Patria in New York City, chef at Babalu in New York City, and chef at Calle Ocho in New York City. The formats changed, but the work kept returning to the same requirement—adapt fast, keep the line clear, and make each room read differently. Media work widened that same practice. At Food Network in Soho, New York City, as host, and through host roles at The Melting Pot in Food Network and Nuestra Cocina in Food Network, Alex Garcia translated kitchen presence into broadcast form. The result is a career that moves between execution, concept, and presentation without losing contact with the food. That range continues in the current mix: founder of Latin Spice Company, director of culinary operations of Barrio Foods, and chef and co-founder of Evil Cooks (since 2018).

Today

“We wanted to make it different, we wanted to make it dark.” The line points straight to the brief behind Evil Cooks: a food identity built around contrast, mood, and a clear visual register. For Alex Garcia, the point is not to dilute the room but to define it. That gives the work a deliberate edge, with style serving the food rather than covering it.

Signature

Alex's signature dishes include Black Pastor, McSatan, and Rock Lobster. The naming does part of the work here: the dishes announce themselves before they arrive. In that sense, the signature reads as an extension of the kitchen’s point of view—specific, personal, and built to stand apart. For Alex Garcia, the label is part of the craft, not an afterthought.

In Their Words “If it’s not true and unique to my personality and background, it’s probably not worth doing.” “Metal inspires all of our food. We wanted to make it different, we wanted to make it dark.” The quotes frame the method plainly: start with what is personal, then shape it with a strong visual and tonal identity. For Alex Garcia, originality is tied to background, and the food follows from that premise rather than from trend.

Recognition

Garcia’s public-facing identity is rooted in Evil Cooks and in a restaurant approach built around change and personality. That recognition comes less from a single milestone than from the consistency of the work across kitchens, concepts, and media. The name carries because the food carries a clear signature, and because the career has kept moving without flattening that identity.