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[title]Growing up, Manuel González Charles didn’t cook much, if at all. And if you asked him what career he aspired to, he’d confidently say veterinary medicine. All of that changed quickly when the Puerto Rican-born chef enrolled at Iowa State University and almost immediately determined that performing surgery on animals “wasn’t really his thing,” he admits.
He found work at a Brazilian restaurant and then at a French bistro before a lightbulb went off in his head, setting him on a path to culinary success. “I knew I wanted to get into hospitality at that moment and I knew I had to move to NYC to do it,” says González Charles, who left Iowa and matriculated at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City.
Since graduating, he’s navigated the field of hospitality tenaciously, moving from internship to externship to positions as a sous chef and, most recently, executive chef at Society Cafe, a post he’s held since 2018. We caught up with González Charles between shifts and visits to the Union Square Greenmarket—a fundamental part of his job at the market-to-table restaurant—to chat about his locavore methods, his Puerto Rican upbringing and the importance of a strong wrong ethic.
Tell us about market-to-table cooking, and why is that important to you?
During my time in Iowa, I had a little garden that kind of started my interest in being able to grow things. I don’t have a garden in my restaurant in New York City, and I don’t have a farm close by, but I do go to the market a few blocks away [from the restaurant] so it’s market-to-table in the truest sense.
There are going to be years when you find vegetables or new crosses you haven’t seen before, and that’s cool. Sometimes, I’ll go there without a plan and start talking to the local farmers and a new dish or special for the restaurant will come to mind. Market-to-table keeps the restaurant seasonal too. We change our menu four times a year—it allows the creative process to keep flowing.
What's the best way for someone to begin eating locally?
I would say if you’re in New York, you’re going to have access to a lot of farmers’ markets across the city. It’s one of the best ways to start eating locally. You’re not only helping the farmers but you’re also consuming something healthy without pesticides or antibiotics and you know where it’s coming from. It’s also food that’s in season and you’re enjoying it at its peak.
What did you learn from working with famous chefs?
I learned a lot from them about techniques, having a strong work ethic and dealing with the press. One of the good things about these chefs is that their creative process is constantly going. Every week, you would learn something new and it would feel as if you were in a constant learning process, seeing how they handle pressure and how they lead. Chefs like Marc Forgione like to teach and they took the time to teach me and helped me in my career.
In other interviews, you've talked a lot about your strong work ethic and the heightened level of competition in NYC. How has that impacted your career?
It’s opened up a lot of opportunities, given me the chance to meet a lot of people in the industry and allowed me to succeed in this complicated industry. It’s very difficult to find reliable people who stick around and have a really strong work ethic. A strong work ethic and taking pride in my work are some of the basics imprinted on me by my parents. Seeing people enjoy my food really brings a smile to my face.
How do you stay connected with your family and your culinary roots?
I try to visit my family in Puerto Rico once a year. It’s funny, when I go home it’s like I’m back to being a little kid. My mom still won’t let me cook, they’re the ones in charge. One of the things that remind me most of being home is a traditional Puerto Rican Christmas meal of roast pork, yellow rice, sweet plantains and—my personal favorite—morcilla, or blood sausage stuffed with rice. Everything I’ve learned about Puerto Rican cooking has come from my mom, dad and grandmother.
What’s your favorite dish to make for your family?
My family was surprised I wanted to become a chef. Growing up, I didn’t cook a whole lot—but I liked eating! I always make it a point to cook for them at least once during my visit and this one time I made 12-hour braised short ribs in red wine with braised cabbage, herb spaetzle and parsnip purée. They’ve never had braised cabbage and they really enjoyed it. When they first looked at the dish, they were like ‘Hm, we don’t know about this cabbage,’ but they tried it and liked it. I've made it many times since.
What’s a family recipe that you’ve yet to master?
I’d say bistec encebollado, it’s a thin steak with sautéed onions. My dad still makes it better than me. I think sometimes chefs struggle with dishes that are a little bit simpler if that makes sense. We try to use certain techniques or spices, and the best way to do something traditional is to keep it simple.
What’s always in your fridge at home?
I would say it’s mainly fruit because the other things change quite a lot. I run the fridge in my house like my restaurant: We have what we need and we try to have zero waste. We do keep truffle zest around because my fiancé puts it on everything she eats.
What's your fast-food guilty pleasure?
Easy, I’m 100-percent a burger guy. I love Shake Shack—that could easily be my last meal: a nice cheeseburger with bacon, an order of french fries and a strawberry milkshake.
What’s your go-to hangover cure?
Lately, it’s ramen. There’s a fabulous ramen place nearby my apartment and it does wonders. I also love a burger and a Coke when I’m hungover.
What’s the greatest food city in the world?
New York! I’ve been to some places in Europe, Puerto Rico, the U.S. and the best thing about NYC is just being able to have any type of cuisine or food at your fingertips. You can find anything from anywhere in the world here. The diversity you find in NYC makes it the number one food city in the world for me.