Since his first restaurant opened in 1988, Nicaraguan native Michael Cordúa has long been recognized by national, regional and local food press as the pioneer of Latin cuisine in the United Sates. What Julia Childs did for French food, so did Cordúa for Latin. Reflecting Cordúa’s culinary brilliance, he is the only chef in Texas to be inducted into Food & Wine magazine’s “Hall of Fame,” and he was also named a 2011 James Beard Foundation award semifinalist and was the recipient of the Robert Mondavi Award - among other prestigious culinary awards. A founding member of United Airlines Congress of Chefs, Cordúa has established an award winning collection of restaurants that pay homage to him and the vibrancy of his food. While Cordua characterizes himself as “just a cook,” his success is anything but ordinary.