Chef Mona Cooks

​Food Philosophy
Many of life's best moments are centered around food. A great meal has the power to transform an ordinary experience into a moment you will look back on for a lifetime. It has the power to transport you in time and, in many ways, is a means of preserving everything you love in this world. Food can do that. If I can help create a memorable experience for you through food, then I have done something I find very rewarding.

Culinary Influences
I come from a long line of amazing cooks. Before I fell in love with cooking, I fell in love with eating good food. I'm the product of a multi-cultural home, I was raised on Cuban and Persian dishes, in addition to traditional American classics. As a teenager, my father's job in the Air Force took us overseas where we lived for four years.

During that time I had the opportunity to travel more than most; I was able to experience cuisines from a wide variety of cultures and customs. It was in Italy that I fell in love with fresh handmade pasta. I learned to appreciate the bite-size delights of tapas in Spain and the exotic flavors of Mediterranean cuisine from Greece and Turkey. The culmination of these experiences has always driven my curiosity to develop a rich and varied repertoire of flavorful dishes from all over the world.

Training and Experience
My first job, at the age of 14, was in a pizza place and I have been working in restaurants ever since. I earned my Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management at Miami's Florida International University. Upon completion of my final semester at FIU, I went on to complete my culinary training at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Napa Valley, California.

I then worked in various kitchen positions in San Francisco where, I honed my skills working with fresh, seasonal ingredients and fell in love with Mexican and Peruvian cuisines. In 2018, I relocated to San Antonio where I began my career as a private chef and have been serving the River City's residents ever since.