German, 45, grew up in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, a cultural enclave for the Latin Caribbean community. In 2010, he relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area, his wife\u2019s hometown. German says the culture shock coming from \u201cNueva Yol\u201d\u2014where it seems there are members of the Afro-Caribbean diaspora on every block\u2014was jolting.<\/p>\n
When homesickness hit a peak, German decided to harness the nostalgia and embrace his cultural heritage by honoring \u201cthe ingredients I missed the most\u201d in his restaurants, alaMar Dominican Kitchen<\/a> and Sobre Mesa<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cAs chefs, to be recognized\u2014at least back in the day\u2014we were always taught to focus on European-centric food,\u201d German says. \u201cThat [was] the only way to be well-known, to get the recognitions, to get the awards. That\u2019s not true anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n What has now earned German a Michelin recommendation and recognition from the James Beard Foundation is his innovation of traditional Afro-Latin dishes without compromising the flavorful Caribbean spice the culture is known for\u2014in spite of the notion that fine dining must serve a flatter, Western palate. German\u2019s promise to deliver cuisine authentic and accurate to history and cultural memory is in line with what he believes is a growing trend among chefs of color: deviating from the mainstream to create culinary experiences that are culturally and regionally hyperspecific.\u00a0<\/p>\n