Chef of the Week: Hugo Moran, Executive Chef at Sexy Fish in Miami
How long have you worked at your current restaurant?
I’ve been at my current restaurant, Sexy Fish Miami for two and a half years.
Where did your passion for cooking come from and where did you learn your skills?
My passion for cooking comes from watching my family always coming together for dinner. It doesn’t matter how busy any of us were, food would always bring us together.
Name three ingredients you couldn’t cook without.
Onion, garlic and butter.
Which piece of kitchen equipment couldn’t you live without?
I wouldn’t be able to live without my knife.
What food trends are you spotting at the moment?
I’m currently spotting a lot of pop-up restaurants.
What do you think is a common mistake that lets chefs down?
It’s really important to communicate with your team, I think this is often overlooked.
What is your favourite time of year for food, and why?
I love the spring, there’s something magical and fresh about the beginning of seasons.
Which of your dishes are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of our whole baby chicken with chickpeas and yuzu, it’s one of our signature dishes and a firm favourite with our guests.
How do you come up with new dishes?
We usually gather a meeting with our chefs and speak about the upcoming season and how best to celebrate seasonal ingredients.
Who was your greatest influence?
My father was certainly my greatest influence.
Tell us three chefs you admire.
Bjoern Weissgerber, Raphael Duntoye and Pierre Koffmann.
What is your favourite cookbook?
The Silver Spoon.
Who do you think are the chefs to watch over the next few months?
Cristian Chirino and Robbie Felice.
What’s been your favourite new restaurant opening of the last year?
Hiyakawa in Wynwood Miami.
