By: Ashmar Mandou

Celebrated chef and cookbook author Aaron Sanchez has come a long way from preparing his first guacamole dish for his famed mother Zarela Martinez, a culinary master in her own right, when he was just a young boy. “It was an easy dish that I made with a lot of love,” said Chef Aaron Sanchez. “Needless to say she loved it,” he laughed.

Fast forward decades later, Sanchez will now star in his own original series for the Latino audience across the country, called Aaron Loves New York, as part of the Spanish lifestyle network, Utilisima fall lineup. “This is an amazing opportunity,” said Sanchez. “Every show that I have been a part of, every experience that I have gained, has brought me to this moment. And now I get to put into practice what I know and love.”

Sanchez discovered his passion for cooking simply by watching his mother in the kitchen. “I used to watch my mother cook all the time. I would study which ingredients she used for certain dishes. And they always came out amazing,” said Sanchez. “I obviously attribute my career to my upbringing.”

Sanchez began his career with the Food Network as co-host of Melting Pot, where he introduced a national audience to his technique and creativity with modern twists to classic Latino cuisine. He also stars in several shows including, Chefs vs. City, Chopped, Best Thing I Ever Ate, and Next Iron Chef, to name a few. “The culinary industry is very challenging and exciting because you are in constant creation mode,” said Sanchez. “You have an opportunity to travel around the globe and learn great techniques from other chefs and in the process develop your own sense of how you like to do things.”

In February 2001, Sanchez opened his first restaurant Paladar, a pan-Latin inspiration on the Lower East Side. 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 2005 Sanchez was nominated as the “Rising Star Chef of the Year” by the James Beard Foundation. The same year he was named one of People Magazine and People En Espanol’s 50 Most Beautiful People. Amid all the television spots and accolades Sanchez still finds time to venture into publishing releasing his sophomore book called, Simple Food, Big Flavor, due out this fall. With all his accolades, you can be sure Sanchez isn’t sitting on his laurels. In his latest project, Aaron Loves New York Sanchez will be sure to add personal touches to make the audiences’ experience unique. “With my new show I’m sharing personal stories and of course creating new recipes using Latino flavors.” To learn more about Sanchez or to view his recipes, visit www.chefaaronsanchez.com. To learn more about Utilisima’s fall lineup, visit www.utilisima.com.