Meet Chef Luis, Vistamar’s Newest Executive Chef

Volume 19: Issue 1

Meet Chef Luis Rodriguez, Vistamar’s newest executive chef! Born in Los Angeles, Chef Luis got his professional start in the kitchen as a dishwasher at 18 years old. There, he met his first mentor, Chef Andres Santos, who took Chef Luis under his wing after seeing his eagerness to learn in the kitchen. Treating him as more than a dishwasher, Chef Andres gave Chef Luis his first hands-on experience in the kitchen, giving him hope for his own future as a chef.

Chef Luis’s second mentor, Koji Sato, taught him the ins and outs of making sushi. As a sushi prep boy, Chef Sato passed down all of his knowledge about sushi, which led Chef Luis to fall in love with sushi. Despite being a harsh critic, Chef Sato taught Chef Luis the importance of never cutting corners when preparing food. He instilled the belief in Chef Luis that all food should be prepared intentionally with love and care. With Chef Sato’s teachings, Chef Luis developed his signature dish, a deep-fried Philadelphia roll, which is well-loved by all who taste it. 

In Chef Luis’s kitchen, all food is sacred. “What you cook goes into a human’s body and generates emotions, feelings, desires, [and] thoughts,” said Chef Luis. Food generates energy for the body and facilitates connection between people, making it vital to human health and happiness. Any mistake in the kitchen is seen as a learning opportunity and never a failure. This mindset is particularly important to Chef Luis as he experiments with cooking different types of food for the Vistamar community. In order to properly learn the cuisine, he actively connects with chefs in his circle who specialize in different cuisines for advice, the same way another chef may confide in him about making sushi. “You can never feel too proud to ask for help if you really want to get better,” said Chef Luis. In order to learn a new food or recipe, Chef Luis takes time to “study the spice” and background of the food in order. This practice ensures that he truly understands the science behind the food while always going back to his core philosophy that all food is sacred. 

Beyond his generosity in the kitchen, Chef Luis dedicates his time to international missionary trips. With his church for two weeks every year, Chef Luis goes into small, underserved communities to bring toys, clothing, food, and medical resources. Additionally, they build infrastructure, generate electricity, and bring clean water resources to the communities. Over the last 13 years, Chef Luis has served communities across Central America in countries such as Honduras and Nicaragua. Chef Luis continues going because giving back is one of his core values. One of the many takeaways Chef Luis has gained from his service is the importance of not taking anything for granted in life. Despite the service trips often taking up all of his vacation days, Chef Luis continues to attend because he leaves feeling fulfilled and with a deeper understanding of the world around him. “[No] amount of money can pay the satisfaction of seeing someone else succeed and triumph in life,” said Chef Luis. In the future, Chef Luis hopes to serve communities in his parent’s home country of Mexico and his mentor, Chef Sato’s home country of Japan. 

Chef Luis is excited to be a part of Vistamar’s vibrant community and grateful for how he has been welcomed. He looks forward to all the memories he will make and is thankful to all of the people he has met at Vistamar. Make sure to stop by the kitchen to say hi and thank you!