James Beard Nominee Brings Culture And Flavors To The Table

NYACK, NY — When Chef Garcia Mendoza of Karenderya recently learned that he was named a semi-finalist in the James Beard awards, he literally didn't believe his eyes.

"Cheryl and I were in such disbelief and shock when we first heard it," Mendoza told Patch. "We were thinking this can’t be right. So we went to the James Beard Foundation website to verify. Now just happy and excited. I am not expecting to move to the next round of finalists, but it’s enough for me to get this far. It's already a big deal."

Mendoza and his wife/business partner Cheryl Baun eventually came to accept the enormity of the honor, but Karenderya's loyal following didn't find the recognition shocking at all.

The James Beard Awards are often referred to as the Oscars of the culinary world. In this case, Karenderya and Chef Mendoza are an audience favorite with or without the accolades of peers. In addition to recently being named among the "Best New Restaurants in America" by Esquire, the inventive Hudson Valley restaurant has built a reputation that extends well beyond the local community.

"Cheryl and I wanted a very casual, affordable place with good food where everyone could afford and enjoy," Mendoza said. "We wanted to do traditional Filipino dishes and non traditional creations but with Filipino flavors and influence."

That philosophy is evident in the menu and even the name. Karenderya (usually spelled carinderia) are food stalls in the Philippines typically in a market or at a roadside, Mendoza explained.

The couple's journey to creating such a special place helps explain why Karenderya gained the attention of international food writers and James Beard judges.

"I have been learning and cooking since I was young," Mendoza said. "I would help my mother sometimes cooking meals when I was still in younger years. In high school, cooking meals for the family fell mostly to me. Later, on two separate occassions, while cooking for people, I was asked 'why don’t you go to cooking school?' Graduated from cooking school (Institute for Culinary Education) in 2003. Worked in Manhattan in different restaurants and we moved to Rockland County in 2010. Later on, became a sous chef, then a chef. Cheryl and I had been planning our own place for a while now. By 2016, we decided to have our own place and Nyack was the only place we could think of that might work with our concept."

Mendoza said that what he is trying to accomplish in the kitchen will ideally transcend the experience of having a meal and become a gateway to a new sense of the world.

"One big thing we’re trying to achieve is introduce people who never have Filipino food to the food and culture of the Philippines," Mendoza said. "There are too many favorite foods to mention. Definitely Asian/Southeast Asian flavors are my flavors to go to. When you [eat] good Asian food, it’s like comfort food."

For Mendoza, comfort food during trying times has certainly been a James Beard-worthy recipe for success.