The Chefs

Chef Isamar De La Cruz 

Cooking was always her first love. Her passion for cooking came at an early age. She would watch cooking shows as a child with her baby sister and pretend she was one of the chefs, studying and intrigued by all the different ingredients.  

Her mother was her true inspiration, making creative/healthy meals so gracefully, while running a hair salon which then turned into 2 home interior boutiques. Her mother’s entrepreneurial skills motivated her to one day have her own business. She studied International Business at Buffalo State University, giving her that self-awareness, resilience and adaptability she will later use in the kitchen . She went on to The Institute of Culinary Education to follow her dreams and since then has worked alongside well respected chefs in the industry. Some of her experiences include working in ABC Kitchen, Spice Market, Tribeca Grill, Boqueria and Geoffrey Zacharian’s, The National Bar and Dining Rooms. While working in these kitchens she managed to also work at Food Network, gaining experience as a Food Stylist and Purchasing/Event Coordinator. Honing her craft was essential before taking the leap of entrepreneurship, she wanted to experience not just working in kitchens, alongside talented chef’s but discovering food through travels and different cultures. From the street food in Thailand, to the hand made ramen in Tokyo, her travels have expanded not only her palette but her knowledge of combining flavors and foods.

Chef Karen Cruz

Karen’s love for cooking started really early as well. First it started as something she had to do to help out her mom after school then it became what it is today, her passion. Growing up she wanted to be all kinds of things but what always stayed Constant, was the love she had for cooking. After graduating high school she tried to pursue a career in physical therapy that didn’t last very long. She later Fell in love with ICE (The institute of culinary education) and finally decided to go into culinary school knowing that one day she will become a caterer and have her own business, Knowing that one day she will be able to showcase her passion to others. Culinary school was one of the best and overwhelming experiences of her life and that’s when her career as a Chef began.She has worked with chefs from all around the world. Chef Ty Bellingham Chef Shirley Lew and Chef Shaun Widger gave her first job Kittichai, A Thai restaurant with creative and delicious creations. With them she learned very early in her career that she was not a lady in the kitchen but rather just a cook in a male dominated industry. Teaching her she had to prove herself no matter the circumstances if she wanted to be successful . There she worked with many chefs and many great people in the industry. Chef Khalma Vongsakoun was her second amazing chef at Kittichai and later at Tao downtown in NYC, another unforgettable experience. Throughout the years of her culinary career she has gained knowledge in Farm to table concepts, menu development, specialty cuisines and presentation. Her most recent work was at the Princeton club of New York with Chef Michael Bourquin and Chef Jeanne D’Angelo. Now with Elevated Eats, joining forces with her cousin is a dream come true and she's pushing forward with innovative and colorful creations.