Hektor Jimenez-Bravo Canadian and Ukrainian chef of Colombian origin, businessman, TV presenter. Date of Birth: 14.01.1972 Country: Colombia

Biography of Hector Jimenez-Bravo

Hector Jimenez-Bravo is a Colombian-born Canadian and Ukrainian chef, businessman, and television presenter. He is best known for his role as a judge on the show "MasterChef Ukraine" and as the founder of the consulting company Bravo Restaurant Group.

Born and raised in Colombia, Jimenez-Bravo's interest in cooking was inspired by his mother, who not only taught him about food preparation but also instilled in him an appreciation for the aesthetics of cuisine. In his later years of school, he developed a passion for visual arts. He then enrolled in the Culinary Academy of Bogota, graduating in 1992 and subsequently working in some of Colombia's finest five-star hotels, including "Metrotel Royal Park," "Relais Chateaux," and "Hoteles Royal."

At the age of 27, Jimenez-Bravo was invited to become the executive chef of the Hilton Boston Back Bay hotel in Boston, USA, making him the youngest executive chef in Hilton's history in North America. Despite initial skepticism from his colleagues due to his young age, he quickly proved his professionalism and talent. Jimenez-Bravo credits his time in the USA as a transformative period in his career, dividing it into two parts: before Hilton and after Hilton.

After organizing a private dinner for a group of Canadian hoteliers at Hilton, Jimenez-Bravo was offered a position in Ottawa, Canada. He was tasked with opening the five-star Brookstreet Hotel and Resort, where he also opened his own restaurant called Foundation. His restaurants have consistently ranked among the top ten in Canada. After six years in Canada, he obtained Canadian citizenship.

In 2006, Jimenez-Bravo became the executive chef of the Radisson SAS Royal Hotel in St. Petersburg, Russia, earning the hotel the "Best Hotel Restaurant Award" from TimeOut magazine. His arrival in St. Petersburg introduced the concept of "Nuevo Latino" cuisine to the city, which was a completely new experience for the locals. In 2006, St. Petersburg hosted the G8 Summit, where Jimenez-Bravo faced the challenge of serving world leaders.

In 2007, Jimenez-Bravo returned to Canada to lead the kitchens of the Delta Fredericton hotel. The following year, he moved to the Maldives to oversee the kitchens of renowned hotels such as W Retreat & SPA and Sheraton Full Moon Resort. He also traveled to Singapore and Hong Kong to study Chinese and Malay cuisine and was given the opportunity to open hotels such as W Hong-Kong and St. Regis Singapore.

In 2009, Jimenez-Bravo received an offer from the InterContinental Hotel Group to open restaurants for the five-star InterContinental Kiev hotel in Ukraine. He developed and implemented the concepts for all the hotel's restaurants and also created concepts for other restaurants owned by the company. He later opened the Stal Hotel restaurant in Alchevsk, Ukraine.

Jimenez-Bravo's culinary style, known as "Huevo Latino," combines Latin American culinary traditions with French sophistication and the delicacy of Asian cuisine. His dishes often feature meat, fresh fish, and seafood.

Aside from his culinary achievements, Jimenez-Bravo is also a successful businessman. He is the CEO of Bravo Restaurant Group, an international consulting company that has opened numerous restaurants in cities such as Kiev, Montreal, Ottawa, and Hong Kong.

In 2011, Jimenez-Bravo launched his own line of spices, created based on his personal recipes. The spices, sold under the brand "Pripravka," have been well-received by consumers.

Despite his busy career, Jimenez-Bravo still finds time for hobbies such as diving. He has had the privilege of serving notable individuals such as Queen Elizabeth II, President George Bush, Prime Minister Tony Blair, President Vladimir Putin, and pop icons Madonna and Jennifer Lopez.

Jimenez-Bravo is known for his outspoken opinions and has expressed his disapproval of political leaders who harm other countries or their own citizens. He believes a true leader is someone who sets an example and inspires others to follow in their footsteps. Jimenez-Bravo has no desire to emulate Russian President Vladimir Putin, stating that he does not consider him a true leader.

Overall, Hector Jimenez-Bravo is a talented chef, successful businessman, and influential personality in the culinary world. Through his various ventures and contributions to the industry, he has left a lasting impact on the global culinary scene.