Lifestyle

Global Palate

InterContinental Miami’s Executive Chef Jhonnatan Contreras is known for the bold and innovative flavors he creates thanks to a culinary career that has taken him all over the world and back.
Words // Anja Maltav | November 22, 2022 | Lifestyle

Ispired by the culinary arts from an early age, Chef Jhonnatan Contreras grew up with his mother and grandmother in the kitchen cooking for my family. “I would pass the time asking questions about different ingredients and flavors, researching and gaining more knowledge on techniques used in the kitchen,” he says. “I was always willing to help however I could.” That early experience lead to stints at various restaurants in his native Venezuela and throughout Latin America, as well as two years at the InterContinental Dubai and Abu-Dhabi before landing his current Executive Chef role at InterContinental Miami, where, among his other duties, he proudly curates the dining experience for the Annual Make-A-Wish Ball, one of the premier fundraising galas in South Florida. “It’s always a very big challenge and includes extreme preparation and attention to detail since we have such a large amount of VIPs in house,” he says. “Being able to travel as much as I have, I’m grateful that we have influences from all over the world on our menu and we enjoy experimenting with new ingredients, flavors, techniques and cultures.”; ICMiamiHotel.com.