Chef
Chuy Cervantes
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- Los Angeles, California, United States
- Venue
- Damian · Restaurant
i. Biography
Chuy Cervantes has led the kitchens at Damian and Ditroit in Los Angeles since 2020, bringing a measured, broad-ranging approach to two rooms that draw close attention. The work sits at the intersection of technique, memory, and geography: nixtamalization, Baja reference points, and global influences are all handled as part of the same kitchen logic, not as separate modes.
The Path
Training at Texas Culinary Academy gave Chuy Cervantes a formal base before he moved to New York City and joined Cosme as an opening team member. That combination of school, opening pressure, and service in a high-profile dining room shaped the discipline behind his current work. The steadiness now associated with his cooking reads as the result of that early structure. Since 2020, Chuy Cervantes has held the Head Chef role at Damian and Ditroit, translating that background into a pair of closely watched Los Angeles kitchens. The style is deliberate rather than ornamental, with each plate carrying a clear link to a wider culinary conversation.
The Work Today
Since 2020, he has led both restaurants as Head Chef. At Damian, the cooking is built around nixtamalization and Baja favorites, while still making room for outside influences without losing its center. The food works through contrast: shoreline and field, tradition and invention, restraint and abundance. The flauta filling shows that approach in practical terms. As Cervantes puts it: "We use a ton of fish at Damian, so we make like a roasted fish stew, and that’s what we fill the flautas with." It reflects a kitchen that is attentive to ingredient use and to flavor built from the whole arc of the catch.
Signature
Chuy's signature dishes sketch the range of his cooking in vivid detail: Smoked Geoduck, Cucumber, Chile Seed Shoyu, Tostadas, Dungeness Crab Gordita, Meyer Lemon, Avocado-Shiso Salsa, Tetela, Creamed Bloomsdale Spinach, Ricotta, Poblano, Nixtamalized Celery Root, and corn tamal. Together, they point to a kitchen that moves comfortably between texture and temperature, savory depth and bright lift, with Pacific and Californian references running through the plates.
In Their Words “We're using everything, up from seafood in Washington State to obviously the produce in the Fresno Valley, all the way down to Baja California.” “We use a ton of fish at Damian, so we make like a roasted fish stew, and that’s what we fill the flautas with.”
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Chuy
What is Chuy Cervantes's current role?
As of 2026, Chuy Cervantes is Head Chef.
Where did Chuy Cervantes train or study?
Chuy Cervantes trained at Texas Culinary Academy.
What is Chuy Cervantes known for?
Nixtamalization and Baja favorites with global influences.
