The Cuban-American chef Raidel Iván García, known on social media as El Jamaliche, publicly celebrated the recognition of his restaurant Rancho Los Jamaliches as one of the best in Miami in 2026.
The influencer thanked their community on social media and to "everyone who has helped and supported" during this time to achieve the success of their business.
The Rancho Los Jamaliches project has its roots in August 2023, when El Jamaliche introduced the idea of a community space dedicated to Cuban cuisine in Miami and invited its followers to suggest the final name for the establishment.
The journey of Raidel Iván García to becoming a prominent figure in Cuban cuisine in exile was not immediate. A native of Arroyo Naranjo, Havana, he emigrated to the United States with the dream of studying professional cooking.
"Le Cordon Bleu has been my dream since I was a child and I achieved it," he declared in an interview with CiberCuba.
His presence on social media was also a gradual process. In 2019, he started posting recipe videos for the Facebook page Comida Cubana, and later his daughter encouraged him to resume his digital journey with his own project.
"I made a video, it went viral, and I kept working, because it brings a lot of joy to see people watching and enjoying what you do," he recalled.
Since then, El Jamaliche has built a loyal community around its slogan "This is how I do it" and a culinary offering that champions authentic Cuban cuisine.
The character, in his own words, is "a more carefree, more communicative, more Cuban version of myself."
The chef has always been straightforward about the situation of gastronomy in Cuba. "Anyone who wants an authentic meal, like those made in homes before, unfortunately will not be able to taste it in Cuba under dictatorship. They have to come to Florida to try it," he stated.
El Jamaliche acknowledged the impact that social media has had on his career.
"Social media has helped me a lot to regain my self-confidence and my cooking skills." Today, with Rancho Los Jamaliches established among the best in Miami, that recognition also comes from the tables of its diners.
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