Jose Mendin

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, moved to Miami in 1998 where he attended and graduated with a Bachelor Degree from Culinary Arts in 2001. Worked for Miami chefs Justin Murphy, Todd Weisz in the exclusive Veranda Restaurant on Turnberry Isle Resort. He left to be part of opening team for Nobu Miami in 2001, sent to Nobu London on Hyde Park in 2002 worked under Nobu chefs Chefs Mark Edward & Thomas Buckley. After working for Nobu restaurants from 2001-2003, decided to pack his bags and go work for Jesus Ramiro at his kitchen lab in Valladolid, Spain as part of his team, they took old grandmother recipes from Castilla y Leon and made them into more modern recipes using updated kitchen techniques. On his time in Spain got to work for Meson Candido (Segovia), catered parties at Ribera del Duero wineries, PS1 Moma Museum in Queens NY for the prince of Spain as part of the Maestres de Cocina cooking team and worked in Madrid at El Chaflan a michellin star rated restaurant by Chef Juan Pablo Felipe. At th End of 2003 came back to Miami and joined chef Jordi Valles (ex chef de partie El BUlli & Exec Chef Ritz Carlton Cancun Mexico) and his team to open Mosaico alongside Chef Gonzalo Jurado of LA Broche & Santceloni(by Santi Santamaria). At the age of 25 decided to joined when called by SushiSamba restaurants in Miami to take the job as chef de cuisine @ SUSHISAMBA DROMO in 2004. Within 2 years of working with SushiSamba he became Assistant Corporate Chef for the company and decided to take the job of Opening SUSHI Samba Vegas at The Palazzo in 2008. Where he was awarded Best Asian Restaurant by The Las Vegas Review Journal and recommended restaurant by The Michellin Guide. Joined the Mercadito Group to open Mercadito Chicago & Miami on 2009 & 2010. But in November 2010 decided to partner up with Sergio Navarro & Andreas Schreiner to create Pubbelly Miami Beach where he is Chef Partner now. Pubbelly has received stellar reviews including 3 1/2 stars from The Miami Herald, Best Restaurant of South Beach 2011 by Miami New Times.