Owners
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Chef Fernando Martinez
Chef Fernando Martinez was born and raised in Habana, Cuba. He was inspired by watching his mother and grandmother cooking. It always fascinated him.
He came to the US in 1994, first living in San Diego and then moving to Louisville in 1996.
In 2002, he started his first restaurant – Havana Rumba Cuban Restaurant in St. Mathews. Shortly after that, he opened Mojito Tapas in Holiday Manor. While operaing Mojito, he attended Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Paris France. After his return to the US, he decided to take a year off and continue learning. He moved to South America and traveled around…learning, eating, cooking. After a year, he returned to the U.S and moved to Miami, Florida where he worked as Sous Chef for one of his idols – Chef Douglas Rodriguez at the Astor and Hilton Bentley Hotel. After that, he worked as Executive Chef at Café L’Europe in Palm Beach.
In 2012 he come back home to Louisville and opened Guacamole, Mussel and Burger Bar, El Taco Luchador, Mercato Italiano, Artesano Tapas and Red Barn Kitchen. Chef Fernando is constantly learning, challenging himself to perfect his craft. Now through his restaurant group, Olé Oh Let’s Eat, there is a lot more to come…
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Chef Yaniel Martinez
Yaniel was born and raised in Habana, Cuba. He was in charge of a large catering and food operation in Cuba. In 2007, he moved to Louisville, KY and helped open Mojito Tapas with his cousin Fernando Martinez. He then became the Executive Chef at Havana Rumba, and a partner in the Middletown location. He left in 2012 to partner up with Fernando and together they opened Guacamole, Mussel and Burger Bar, Mercato Italiano, Taco Luchador, Artesano Tapas & Red Barn Kitchen.
