Latino Trailblazers: Chef Fernandini on being his own competition and the success he found after following his gut

Latino Trailblazers is a new series by COCINA, where we celebrate and amplify Latino voices all year long, giving the mic to groundbreaking names who are changing the world for the better. It’s a forum to celebrate the love of community, the wins of today and share the wisdom we've learned.

Chef Rodrigo Fernandini was born in Chiclayo, Peru. He’s the executive chef and founder at Artesano Restaurant, in Tribeca, New York, and Ayllu Restaurant in Saint Petersburg, FL, where he creates and offers high-end Peruvian dishes.

To the young Rodrigo:

I write this to you, knowing the head you have on your shoulders. You’re as stubborn as an ox. I also say that to you because your stubbornness will force you to learn things the hard way over and over again. But that same mental toughness will pave the way to your future success. Here are a few things I want to share with you, as someone who carries a persistent yet sponge-like mind:

Don’t Choose a Career Just for the Money You Can Make

You tried this a lot, my friend. You went from modeling to acting, to business school, to law school, with many jobs in between. You consistently found yourself sitting on your bed looking up at the ceiling, feeling a lack of fulfillment, even when paychecks gave comfort. You didn’t find your true passion or happiness until you walked through the doors of your culinary school, were completely broke, and were working 14-hour shifts in your first restaurant for free. 

And truth be told, no one becomes a chef for the paycheck. It’s not a fancy life by trade, especially in the beginning. But you found the most success and the most drive when you followed what your mind and heart were screaming at you to do all along. You can’t ignore that gut feeling, because your passion is what creates success, not your job title.

Babies Do Come with Bread Under their Arms

You always had the exciting desire to become a dad, but when you found out your wife was pregnant two months before opening ARTESANO, it was a bit of a shock. Your son came at a somewhat unexpected moment, but it turned out to be the most perfect moment possible. The drive that you get when you learn you will become a father is unmatched by any feeling, and there is this innate understanding that you cannot fail because you are now the provider for your family. That drive takes you to work 10 times harder, and the fruits of your labor can be seen. Your son’s arrival was one of the best things that could have happened to you for Artesano’s success.

There is never a right time to have a baby.

In A Cutthroat Industry, Collaboration Will Be Your Greatest Asset

It’s no secret that chefs can sometimes carry a sense of arrogance and competitive grit. The restaurant business can be cutthroat, but that’s not a path you will follow. You have been able to befriend other creative minds to collaborate with and elevate Peruvian cuisine to the next level. You have been able to invite other chefs into your restaurant to create incredible fusion tastings that celebrate culture and innovation. 

You should never see others as “competition,” because you are your competition. See others in your industry as amazing artists that you can learn new skills from and create art with together, both in your restaurant and online.

Plant Seeds in Young Minds

So you have made it this far, and now it’s time to look back at the 19-year-old you. What did you crave more than anything else when you were beginning? A mentor. Someone who could teach you techniques and skills. Someone who believes in you and tells you that you could succeed. You were fortunate to find those people.

But there will come a time when you will be responsible for taking over that role. It's your turn to mentor the next generation of great culinary minds. Take that responsibility seriously. You have the ability to shape the future of great culinary minds, and that is exactly what you are doing.

Let your passion guide you, Rodrigo. You'll achieve amazing things.

Buenazo!

Rodrigo