Chef
Rafael Martinez
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- Los Angeles, California, United States
- Venue
- Gjelina · Restaurant
i. Biography
Rafael Martinez became Head Chef of Gjelina in Los Angeles in 2020 after a long tenure with Gjelina Group. The record is compact: one organization, one city, and a progression from group affiliation in 2008 to kitchen leadership at the restaurant.
The Path
With Gjelina Group since 2008, Rafael Martinez’s work has advanced through the same Los Angeles organization with quiet continuity and precision. Since 2020, he has also served as Head Chef of Gjelina, taking on the kitchen from within the group rather than arriving from outside it.
The Work Today
Since 2020, Martinez has led the kitchen as Head Chef at Gjelina. That role defines his current work and places his day-to-day responsibility inside the restaurant after more than a decade with its parent group.
Acclaim
The notable mark in Martinez’s career is progression within one Los Angeles organization: with Gjelina Group from 2008, then Head Chef at Gjelina beginning in 2020.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Rafael
How did Rafael Martinez get started?
His listed career path begins with Gjelina Group in Los Angeles in 2008.
What is Rafael Martinez best known for today?
He is best known today as Head Chef of Gjelina in Los Angeles, a role he began in 2020.
Where is Gjelina based?
Los Angeles.
Where else has Rafael Martinez worked?
Gjelina in Los Angeles.
