105 Millennium - Twenty-second Edition HOSPITALITY AND LEISURE As a child growing up in Mexico, Edgar Hernandez Lopez was inspired by his grandmother, who always offered food to others. His childhood was full of food-related memories, such as helping his mother sell a traditional Mexican dish and baking cookies at a local bakery. When Mr. Hernandez Lopez was 15, his mother was diagnosed with cancer. Responding to this difficult moment, he accepted the responsibility of cooking meals for the family, further establishing his interest in pursuing a career as a chef. While attending Centro Superior de Estudios Turísticos Jalapa to earn a bachelor’s degree in cooking and gastronomy, Mr. Hernandez Lopez moved to New York and later Colorado. His early professional years included contributions as a line cook at French Woods and Slow Groovin Snowmass and a cook at Westin Hotels & Resorts. Mr. Hernandez Lopez planned to move back to New York but found himself stuck in Colorado during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, he gained experience at St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, Venga Venga, House of Nair and Viceroy Snowmass. Since 2023, Mr. Hernandez Lopez has served as chef de cuisine at Toro by Chef Richard Sandoval. Having worked his way up to this role from entry-level server and line cook positions, he has demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of how restaurants operate and a commitment to constant improvement. At Toro, Mr. Hernandez Lopez serves Latin Asian fusion cuisine. Encouraged by franchise owner Richard Sandoval to experiment with his own twists on recipes, he has had his own variations of the restaurant’s dishes adopted at Toro locations as far away as Miami and Dubai. Regularly serving as many as 300 customers per day, Mr. Hernandez Lopez expresses deep satisfaction with his day-to-day schedule, which includes time for his favorite pastime, snowboarding, during the winter. He attributes his success to consistency and quality in his food. Looking to the future, Mr. Hernandez Lopez dreams of one day returning to Mexico. However, he has no set plans to leave the U.S., as he believes he is still learning new skills every day. Millennium Magazine Featured Listee EDGAR HERNANDEZ LOPEZ CHEF DE CUISINE Toro by Chef Richard Sandoval Snowmass Village, CO
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