Meet Our Chef

Victor Juarez, Executive Chef

Victor Juarez brings more than 20 years of culinary expertise to Hotel Maya's Fuego Restaurant. The hard-working Salvadorian native has garnered countless culinary awards over the years, including AAA's "Four Diamond" award and a trio of honors from the Southern California Restaurant Writers Association that includes the "Golden Sceptre" Award in the American category. In 2001, Juarez also had the rare honor of being chosen to participate in a dinner event at the James Beard Foundation in New York City.

Juarez developed a love of the culinary arts in his native homeland where, as the middle child in a large family, he would prepare meals for the family using ingredients his father would bring home from his international travels. Upon his arrival in the U.S. as a teenager, Juarez began working in the hotel restaurant industry and quickly earned a reputation as an up-and-coming chef.

Previously, Juarez served as Executive Sous Chef at Riverside, California's historic Mission Inn. There, he honed his skills under the tutelage of then-Executive Chef Joe D. Cochran Jr. and French-trained Chef Gary Palm, mastering the intricacies of preparing French, Northern Italian and California cuisines.