We recently connected with Oscar Padilla and have shared our conversation below.

Oscar, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

The idea was born from my love for wood fire cooking, the embers are my heart, the ashes my essence and the smoke my soul. This was born from the great heritage that my grandparents and family gave me, they have been mountaineers and climbers all their lives, so the routine of cooking with firewood immersed in the forest created in me this passion to discover and share the wonderfulness of these flavors.

On the other hand, living in Denver with all those mountains around inspired me to take the first step and as Latinos my wife Norma and I firmly believe that we have the responsibility to share our culture and traditions using our wood fire cooking techniques so we created our company “E.S.W Fuego” which means “Everiting Starts With Fire” to be able to share through catering events that give our guests a unique experience surrounded by smoke and excellent food, also starting this year 2023 we had the opportunity to open our first concept “The Gaucho Parrilla”, this restaurant has an Argentine wood grill and the ingredients are sourced locally & flavors inspired across South America & Mexico.

Denver is growing culinary all the time and the cuisine we offer is a unique concept that represents our passion for our culture, for us to know that The Gaucho Parrilla makes our guests feel at the table as if they were at home and feel like family. it has a price.

Oscar, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was born in Los Angeles, California, with Mexican heritage. When I was young, I moved to Mexico, where I developed a deep appreciation for traditional cooking styles by watching my grandmother prepare richly flavored Mexican dishes. This experience, combined with growing up surrounded by family and shared meals, led me to pursue a career in the culinary arts.

After studying in Mexico City and working in several prestigious establishments in the capital, I joined the culinary team at El Club de Banqueros, a renowned gastronomic institution known for its high-quality products and exceptional culinary talent. It was there that he earned a reputation as an outstanding chef.

My passion for new culinary experiences took me to New York, where I worked with renowned chefs and continued to build my career. I caught the attention of celebrity chef Richard Sandoval, who was impressed by my bold flavors and friendly personality. With Chef Sandoval, I embarked on a journey that led me to open numerous restaurants and build culinary teams around the world, from Costa Rica to Dubai, and from Doha to Chicago. Throughout my travels, I have passed on my passion for good food and bold flavors to the next generation of chefs.

I was recently named the winner of the popular Food Network show “Chopped” and I am thrilled to be a part of such a renowned show and to have the opportunity to showcase my culinary skills on national television.

In my personal life, I am a devoted husband and father of two children, I enjoy spending time with my family and exploring unique food destinations. I follow a humble cooking philosophy: “Practice humility and never be afraid of salt.”

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I know from my own experience that customers look for consistency in both your product and service, these two complemented with some extra detail from you and your team help customers feel attracted to return, for example learning the customers’ names Regular meals, knowing what their favorite dishes are or adding any extra that they have requested to the menu create an atmosphere of trust. We learned that understanding our clients’ needs and preferences takes us one step ahead in how to move or where to take our business.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Respect, honesty and communication are always the basis of a good team. Being honest is the most important part in your restaurant, starting with yourself and at the same time communicating correctly with respect to each member of your team, thus creating a healthy and pleasant environment for them and that motivates them to give their best in their respective jobs and responsibilities.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.chefoscarpadilla.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefoscarpadilla/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chefoscarpadilla?mibextid=ZbWKwL
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chefoscarpadilla/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/gaucho-parrilla-arvada-2
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/chef-oscar-padilla

Image Credits
Chef Oscar Padilla Norma Padilla