Douglas Rodriguez

Douglas Rodriguez joins Aparium Hotel Group as the Executive Chef for Hotel Haya, a boutique hotel in the famed neighborhood of Ybor City in Tampa, Fla., slated to open in September. Rodriguez will oversee Flor Fina, a coastal Mediterranean restaurant and a Cuban-inspired cafe, Café Quiquiriqui, in addition to the hotel's in-room dining and events programs. Known as "The Godfather of Nuevo Cuisine," Rodriguez brings over 30 years of experience in the food and beverage industry with a heavy focus on Latino cuisine. His culinary creativity has transformed the image of Latino food in award winning establishments across New York City, London, Philadelphia, Coral Gables, among many others. His talents have earned him the prestigious James Beard Foundation's Rising Star Chef of the Year Award in 1996 as well as additional nominations for Best Chef in South Florida in 2008 and 2009. Rodriguez's culinary craft and personality has also found its way into the homes of millions of Americans through his participation on the first season of Top Chef Masters on Bravo and many appearances on national programs including The Late Show with David Letterman, Good Morning America, The Today Show, and CBS Weekend This Morning. A native of Miami and son of Cuban immigrants, Rodriguez studied at the prestigious culinary program at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island.