It was the summer of 1996, I had just graduated high school, and I was arriving to Cozumel to spend the summer working with my uncle Adolfo in Guido’s (at that time still named Pizza Rolandi’s ). That summer was a dream. I spent my days working in the kitchen of Guido’s, peeling, chopping, cleaning and helping out in any way I could. My afternoons were spent relaxing by the pool or ocean and my evenings dancing and partying through the old Carlos n’ Charlie’s. That summer flew by like a flying fish. And from that moment on I had been injected with the Cozumel chip.
Just about every vacation and school break there after I found a way back to Cozumel to recapture those magical moments. However, it was not until I graduated college that I was able to spend another extended period of time in Cozumel. That was the summer of 2001, and it was during that two month stay, that I consciously made the decision that I wanted to live full time in paradise. After a month of spanish school in Cuernavaca and 6 months at the French Culinary Institute, in New York City, I made my way back to Cozumel for good in February of 2002.
After more than 5 years of working in Guido’s, I left those hallowed halls with enough experience and passion to open Kinta Mexican Bistro. Kinta has been a dream come true and certainly the most difficult and fulfilling adventure of my life. Whether i am in the kitchen creating new recipes or attending customers in the dining room, I truly love what I do. Kinta has grown in many ways since that first December evening of 2007, and I could never thank Cozumel, its locals and visitors enough.
In December of this year Kinta turns 6 and Kinta’s baby sister, Kondesa will turn 3. Who knows what the future holds, but after 10 years on this beautiful island, Cozumel is still home, and still paradise for me.
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This story originally appeared in the weekly Cozumel 4 You NEWS – the island’s number one source of positive information about our island! Be sure and subscribe to the weekly NEWS to find out all the island events!…
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