Executive Chef
Keck Medical Center of USC
Los Angeles, California

Deconstructed Honduran Tamale
Chef Luis recently took top honors in a health care culinary competition for this innovative, plant-forward dish. He reimagined his family’s recipe for a Honduran tamale by featuring masa topped with a stew of quinoa, garbanzo beans, potatoes and olives, and served with yuca fries and pickled cabbage—all hearty ingredients with satisfying flavors.

His award-winning tamale represents both his cultural heritage and his ability to adapt traditional recipes to modern tastes. Chef Luis represents a new wave of hospital chefs who see food not just as nutrition, but also as comfort and healing during a patient’s most vulnerable moments.