Chilean-born Chef Juan José Molina grew up in the capital city of Santiago. From a young age, he seemed destined for theater and the performing arts. However, his passion for gastronomy was ignited at home, watching his father, an architect, prepare weekend meals with extreme care and organization. At the same time, he would join his mother in the kitchen for everyday meals, asking to learn her culinary secrets. Without realizing it, by age 13 he was already cooking his own school meals and, on some occasions, preparing lunch for his classmates, who became his first food critics.
Although he was about to enter drama school, his passion for gastronomy spoke louder. With the support of his parents, he decided to change course and graduated in Culinary Arts from Duoc UC in Chile. In 2006, he began his professional career, working in various fine-dining restaurants in regions like the Atacama Desert, the city of Pucón, and Santiago, always exploring the rich culinary diversity of his country.
His story took a transformative turn when he visited Brazil on vacation in 2018, a country he fell in love with and where, years later, he decided to settle permanently. He joined restaurant L'Étoile in 2022 as Sous Chef. In 2024, he became the Chef of the restaurant, located in the Sheraton Grand Rio Hotel & Resort, where he continues his journey of gastronomic exploration and creation. It was here that his daughter was born, and Brazil became his home.
