Intimate dining, events, and cooking classes — made with care and purpose.
I've been lucky enough to be shaped by two remarkable cooks — my grandmothers, women with caring hands and generous hearts, who showed me that a shared meal is one of the most intimate things one person can offer another. That truth lives in everything I cook. They are my constant inspiration.
To Manina and Lala — my two guiding winds.
I was born in Uruguay, on the rioplatense coast where the river meets the sea — a place where Sunday home cooked lunches stretch into the evening and nobody leaves the table early. My mother and grandmother taught me to cook there. Everything I make still moves through her hands.
Cocina Viva is the practice I built around what they taught me. From Uruguay I bring the rioplatense table. From years between Mexico and Miami, technique, pantry, and a love of the long, unhurried lunch.
Every menu is built for the people sitting at the table that night — never copied, never rushed. I'd love to cook for yours.
Your home. Your people. A menu built from scratch. I handle everything — sourcing, cooking, service, cleanup.
Birthdays, milestones, bigger tables. Wherever you need one set.
Sushi, fresh pasta, kitchen basics — or whatever you've been wanting to learn. Hands-on, relaxed. You eat everything you make.
The date, the people, the occasion, what you love to eat. A short note is enough to begin.
I send you a menu — built around your people, your dietary needs, and what you want the night to feel like.
Shopping, prep, cooking, plating, service. Clean kitchen when I leave. You get the night you imagined.
@bycocinaviva — recent dinners, from the kitchen, and what's on the table tonight.
"He brought herbs and vegetables from his own garden, and pivoted to a beautiful salad when the watermelon at the store didn't look good. He left the kitchen cleaner than he found it, and was a joy the entire time."
Elizabeth R. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★Private Chef · Birthday Dinner
"We didn't have a cuisine in mind, so he suggested a mezze-style sharing experience. Fresh, creative, sustainable — flavours many of us had never experienced."
Ashley Z. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★Private Chef · Group of 10
"Booked only a few days before for a group of 10. He created a phenomenal meal based on our asks. Everyone was super happy."
Josh W. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★Personal Chef
"Watching him work was just as fun as enjoying the meal. We were blown away by his Japanese cuisine — and already planning to come back for his handmade ravioli."
Luciano R. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★Private Dining
"A spectacular pasta night from start to finish."
Samantha B. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★Private Cooking Lesson
I'm based in Miami and cook throughout Miami-Dade and the Florida Keys — including Ocean Reef, Key Largo, and Islamorada. I also travel for private clients: vacation homes, destination celebrations, retreats. If you're hosting somewhere further out, tell me where and I'll make it work.
Two to three weeks is ideal — that gives us time to shape the menu and source well. Last-minute requests are welcome when my calendar allows, so it's always worth asking.
Menu design, ingredient sourcing, all cooking and prep, plating and service, and a clean kitchen when I leave. You provide the kitchen, the table, and the people. If you'd like service staff, additional rentals, or wine pairing, I'll coordinate those and quote them separately.
Always. Allergies, vegetarian or vegan, gluten-free, kosher-style, low-sodium — tell me about everyone at the table and the menu is built to honor them. Nobody should feel like an afterthought.
Every proposal is built around the specifics of your night — the number of guests, the format (plated or family-style), the menu, and where you're hosting. What you receive is a single, all-inclusive quote: my labor, sourcing, prep, service, and cleanup, with nothing added after the fact. A 50% deposit confirms the date. The balance is due on the day of the event. If you'd like to talk through what you have in mind before committing to anything, just write — that conversation costs nothing.
A short note is enough to begin. I read every message myself and reply within 24 hours — usually sooner.
Or reach me directly —