Chef Nelson German doesn’t believe in the idea of the “self-taught” culinarian.
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German → believe → culinarian
“How can you really teach yourself?” asks the Dominican American executive chef and restaurateur.
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chef → teach → yourself
“Even if you’re learning from watching somebody on YouTube, that person taught you.
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person → learn → you
A dishwasher, a prep cook, a server who instills you with some kind of knowledge—you’re learning from everybody around you.”
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who → instill → you
German, whose culinary career spans over two decades, cut his teeth training in several esteemed New York City kitchens.
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career → span → kitchens
His profile as an emerging chef continued to rise after a stint on Season 18 of Bravo’s Top Chef in 2021, and today, German is best known for his steadily expanding culinary presence in Oakland, Calif.
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German → emerge → Oakland
German believes his current portfolio, a trio of conceptual eateries inspired by and in celebration of his Afro-Latin roots, was only conceived because he stepped away from New York.
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he → believe → York
German, 45, grew up in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, a cultural enclave for the Latin Caribbean community.
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German → grow → community
In 2010, he relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area, his wife’s hometown.
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he → relocate → Area
German says the culture shock coming from “Nueva Yol”—where it seems there are members of the Afro-Caribbean diaspora on every block—was jolting.
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it → say → block
When homesickness hit a peak, German decided to harness the nostalgia and embrace his cultural heritage by honoring “the ingredients I missed the most” in his restaurants, alaMar Dominican Kitchen and Sobre Mesa.
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I → hit → restaurants
“As chefs, to be recognized—at least back in the day—we were always taught to focus on European-centric food,” German says.
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German → recognize → food
“That [was] the only way to be well-known, to get the recognitions, to get the awards.
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That → know → awards
That’s not true anymore.”
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That → ’ → ?
What has now earned German a Michelin recommendation and recognition from the James Beard Foundation is his innovation of traditional Afro-Latin dishes without compromising the flavorful Caribbean spice the culture is known for—in spite of the notion that fine dining must serve a flatter, Western palate.
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dining → earn → palate
German’s promise to deliver cuisine authentic and accurate to history and cultural memory is in line with what he believes is a growing trend among chefs of color: deviating from the mainstream to create culinary experiences that are culturally and regionally hyperspecific.
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that → deliver → experiences
The latest addition to German’s distinct offerings is the Ethiopian and Dominican fused Meski, a collaboration with entrepreneur Guma Fassil and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, which opened in April 2025.
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which → fuse → April
“We’re telling a real story,” German says.
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German → tell → story
The story that he wants to define his legacy is one of community, whether it’s nurturing young minds through culinary training programs or fostering togetherness through Caribbean fare.
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it → want → fare
His first book, Caribbean Cocktails: Drinks and Bites from the Afro-Latino Diaspora, released in June, offers modern takes on familiar libations and is meant to inspire readers to “host the way we do it, as Caribbeans,” German says.
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German → release → Caribbeans
Maintaining ancestral traditions is how he honors Sankofa, the Ghanaian principle adopted widely throughout the African Diaspora: “You always look back and celebrate your past while always continuing to move forward, and moving forward with love and kindness,” German says.
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German → maintain → love
“Always giving tribute to the people that paved the way for you.”
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that → give → you
The Aporia
