Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Anthony Suazo. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Anthony, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

The mission of Atria, created and owned by Rochelle Daniel, is to provide high quality food and concepts to northern Arizona with a focus on locality and seasonality. Being able to create food is a privilege and to share our experiences and knowledge through our craft is a great honor. It is very meaningful to me that everyone works as a collective and team on the dishes we serve.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Almost a decade in the food and beverage industry, and I still feel like a newcomer everyday. Ive learned that constant learning and growth are crucial to the work I produce. I had to teach myself discipline over the years to really understand how to further my craft. To be able to work for accomplished chefs has been beneficial to my success, especially since one of our main missions at Atria is to teach and be inclusive for all.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist in food is the pleasure people feel when eating something I have created with my own hands. I’m very interested in food, art, and music. I feel like being able to express myself, my own curiosity in food, and the desire to create something great drives me to be better everyday. If I am cooking, it’s usually on a line where repetitiveness can sometimes stagger creativity, but I believe that aiming for consistent perfection in flavor and technique are considered art.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I think of all the kitchens I grew up in as cook. They were rough and people weren’t treated as how they are today. I think most industrial kitchens are filled with creatives that drive the food and experiences as the main focal point. This wasn’t always the case, as there were moments were you would hear, ‘I dont need you to think, I need you to cook’. That stepping stone of realizing how people’s mindsets can hinder the community aspect of being creativity was instrumental to the chef I am now today. I think non-creatives might understand the struggle of being a line cook as seen through media, but the self journey I took to stand up for my voice and creativity is not singular, as it is shared in the world.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @anthonyflagsuazo

Image Credits
Anthony Suazo Edgar Avila