GUILLERMO TELLEZ CRUZ
Private Executive Chef
Chicago, IL
The journey from the city of Hidalgo in Michoacan, Mexico, was not a light decision for 13-year-old Guillermo Tellez. Guillermo took any job that came his way including a dishwasher gig at a restaurant. The instant he set foot in that kitchen, he knew he found his calling.
Guillermo dedicated himself to learning the art of cooking at the Kendall College for Culinary Arts and Madeleine Kammen’s Professional Cooking School for American Chefs. Tellez’s life changed again when he began working for a Chicago giant in the industry - Charlie Trotter. Guillermo traveled all over the country and in Europe, absorbing everything as he cooked for charity events, celebrities, sommeliers, and more. Charlie Trotter knew he had a star in the making and named Guillermo Chef de Cuisine for his MGM restaurant. In 1993, Chef Guillermo became the first recipient of the James Beard Foundation Felipe Rojas-Lombardi Award of Achievement for Hispanic Chefs.
In the span of ten years working with Charlie Trotter, Guillermo conceptualized and opened C Restaurant in the One and Only Palmilla Resort in Los Cabos, Mexico. In 2004 it was recognized as the “Best Resort in Latin America” by Condé Nast.
From One&Only Palmilla, Chef Guillermo returned to work with various restaurant concepts, training chefs and staff from the ground up in Miami, New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, and Philadelphia. He and his family continued to visit Los Cabos during this time, drawn by their love for the people, culture, beaches, and desert. In 2015, he joined Flora’s Field Kitchen. Chef Guillermo was enticed by not only the unique concept, but “their unwavering striving for excellence, from service to wine to food, since opening, which was, and is, inspirational.”
“Our preparations are very simple but full of flavor. It’s the simplicity and rusticity, and never compromising any ingredient’s intrinsic flavor.”
“You must not be afraid to try something different, and not just dipping your finger in, but eating a spoonful and experiencing what the diner will experience. You need to learn what works well with what. And if you have experience and you know your palette, you can turn simple products into something great.”
This simple philosophy has blossomed into an exacting palate and strict adherence to striving for dining exquisiteness that aligns perfectly with that of Flora Farms. Farm-to-table dining is the core of Flora’s Field Kitchen, “the goal is to create a healthy family meal with a sense of place.” The majority of offerings included on the menu are sourced onsite. For Chef Guillermo this aligns perfectly with his methodology, which is to start with the most pristine organic plants and humanely-raised animals. It is something says Chef Guillermo, he has been striving for in his 35 years in the industry.
“You must not be afraid to try something different, and not just dipping your finger in, but eating a spoonful and experiencing what the diner will experience. You need to learn what works well with what. And if you have experience and you know your palette, you can turn simple products into something great.”
Chef Guillermo is grateful for the road that has brought him to where he is today. He became an accomplished chef.