Chef Ben Diaz, Executive Chef, Luxe City Center Hotel, Los Angeles, California
Chef Ben Diaz, the executive chef at the Luxe City Center Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, is a rising star on the national culinary stage and a regular TV competitor with appearances on the Food Network’s “Chef Wanted” and “Cutthroat Kitchen.” He recently won the Cooking Channel’s “Farmers’ Market Flip” in 2019 and received the fan favorite award in the Culinary Fight Club’s “Blended Burger Battle.” He is currently in the running for the 2019 James Beard Blended Burger Project.
An active member of the ACF Chefs de Cuisine Association of Los Angeles, Ben won California Chef of the Year in 2018 and Best Latin Chef in L.A. in 2018, which made him a natural choice to compete in the Cochon555 Tour when it stopped in L.A. in June 2018. Though he didn’t win that competition he did win high praise for his Blueberry and Grilled Papaya Helado with The Perfect Purée Blueberry Puree.
Ben appreciates the The Perfect Purée’s versatility and uses it in other fruity, refreshing Latin desserts such as Mango-Mint Helado and Papaya and Pink Guava Helado. He turns the Perfect Purée Cherry Puree into a glaze for his indulgent Chocolate Hazelnut Tart.
“I love using The Perfect Purée and I use it on everything from sauces and cocktails to desserts. The flavors lend themselves well to a variety of applications,” Ben says.
As told by the Hispanic Food Network, Ben wouldn’t have found his dream if he wasn’t chasing someone else’s. He thought he wanted to become a pharmacist but followed a girl to the California School of Culinary Arts and never looked back (despite the relationship being a non-starter).
Ben is also the owner and culinary director of CBDcuisine Consulting Services LLC, the director of innovation at Epices De La Vie LLC and a culinary ambassador at Turbo Pot Cookware and Chef’s Roll. He has been inducted into the Les Amis d’Escoffier Society, Cambridge Who’s Who of Culinary Professionals and the World Master Chefs Society.