Positivity, that's one of the things I try to spread throughout my company and really anyone I come in contact with. Because as you know, life's too short. You got to keep it positive and keep it fun.

Chicago is a lot of my background as a chef.

My family came from Ecuador.

Don't be afraid to adapt new ingredients into your own techniques, and traditional ingredients into new recipes.

Being Ecuadorian is, I don't want to say it's tough but it's... something special to me.

There a great ethnic cuisine available to you in Chicago.

If you were a Colombian, you would have your version of an empanada. If you are an Argentinean, you might find a dough that's baked and has a butter sheen on it. And then in Ecuador, you'll find more crispy-fried empanadas. So, yeah, every culture has their own version of empanadas.