Chef Sergio Díaz: The Flavor of Quetzaltenango

Chef Sergio Díaz: A Guatemalan native from Quetzaltenango, born on February 28, 1985, he grew up in a restaurant environment. On one hand, he watched his mother cook at home, and as he grew older, part of his daily life involved being at his family’s restaurant. This is how his passion for gastronomy began at an early age. The flavor and experience of his mother’s cooking were everything to him, his first inspiration, and this is how he decided to study culinary arts.

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Chef Sergio Díaz

However, he knew that being a chef is a very demanding career, but this did not deter him. With perseverance and discipline, he knew he could achieve his goals. “It’s a very demanding life, and you work long hours every day. There are good days and bad days, but the love for cooking is the greatest incentive to stand in the kitchen every day.”

Convinced of his ideals, he made a determined effort to travel to Chile to study gastronomy at the “Culinary” culinary school while working at Puerto Fuy (Chile’s finest restaurant) at the same time. There, he had the chance to meet great chefs like his mentor, Giancarlo Mazzarelli. Mazzarelli taught him dedication, how to channel his energies correctly, and the importance of sacrifice to pursue one’s desires. It wasn’t easy, as he began studying at 8:00 a.m. and finished at 4:30 p.m., only to work at the restaurant from 5:00 p.m. until closing. Sergio considers this period of his life the most important, as his mentor instilled in him the foundational principles of his professional life: responsibility and discipline.

One of his early achievements in the culinary field was winning first place in the National Intercedes Competition in 2007, held in Viña del Mar, Chile.

Chef Sergio Díaz graduated from Culinary in Santiago, Chile in 2008, receiving the school’s highest recognition: three olives. This translates to the best performance in cooking and the highest score among all students in his class.

After his graduation, he decided to continue pursuing his passion for gastronomy by studying creative cuisine. He wanted to unleash his creativity and break away from traditional cooking. He traveled to Barcelona, Spain for an internship at El Cingle, a Michelin-starred restaurant, and to Chicago for another internship at Alinea, one of the best restaurants in the United States.

Sergio’s cuisine embodies creativity and innovation. “Always use your creativity and effort to make the dish perfect.” Creativity in gastronomy is a chef’s way of expression; cooking is passion and challenges.

Chef Sergio Díaz’s greatest challenge is to satisfy the palates of Guatemalans by creating new textures while preserving the unique flavors of their roots.

After his training and the experience he gained, he returned to Guatemala with a bright future ahead. He started by providing consultancy for the restaurant Culinaria. However, he met the associates of Fine Dining Group and was offered the position of chef at Ambia. Later, they offered him a partnership in FDG. The fruits of his hard work began to yield results, and he was entrusted with Biba and Giuseppe Verdi.

However, he desired to do something on his own and for his homeland. He opened Distinto, a restaurant that brought him back to his roots and reminded him of how it all began. A new challenge came into his life, and he created Sublime, a restaurant that specializes in signature cuisine, and Patio San Román, a cutting-edge Guatemalan cuisine designed for the most discerning palates, with Guatemalan flavors as the main ingredient.

Sublime Restaurant

Sublime is an exquisite design restaurant that stood out by preparing a menu inspired by Guatemala’s bicentennial. Their cuisine is artistic, using fresh and high-quality ingredients.

While their prices are not affordable, the quality of their menu is worth every penny. Its owner, Chef Sergio Díaz, is a Guatemalan chef who has gained national and international recognition, elevating the name of Guatemala.

Sublime, the best restaurant in Guatemala

The announcement was made on the night of Tuesday, November 15, during an awards ceremony held live in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. The nomination for the best restaurants in Latin America turned into a night of celebration and national pride when it was revealed that Sublime, the restaurant of Guatemalan chef Sergio Díaz, ranks 31st on the Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022 list and is the Best Restaurant in Guatemala for 2022.

The motto of Sublime Restaurant is:

Cooking is an art. It is a science. It is a science turned into art. It is our inspiration.

We believe it. We live it. This is Sublime.

Sublime is located at 12 Calle 4-15, Zone 14, Guatemala City, Guatemala. You can make reservations at +5000 4442 and view the menu at sublimerestaurante.com. Don’t miss the amazing experience of dining at this exquisite restaurant; you’re sure to love its delectable cuisine.