Essential Ingredients for an Excellent Meal
by Madeline C. Lanshe
Some of us would crack under the pressure of a busy restaurant kitchen. This is not the case for Chef José Coronado, who not only thrives in the middle of the stress, but enjoys it. In fact, it’s one of the things that excites him the most about his occupation. Maybe some of this can be attributed to his over fifteen years of experience in the restaurant business. José moved to the US from Guatemala at the age of fifteen. His first job was washing dishes in a restaurant. That’s when he discovered how much he enjoyed being in the kitchen. From dishwasher, he moved to the sauté station. “This is me,” he realized. “I feel great here. This is my thing.” He worked at other restaurants through the years, most notably, Felice Urban Cafe, in Cleveland, Ohio, where he was the executive chef for almost six years, gaining an impressive reputation for the quality of his meals and menus. He has a broad culinary range, but many of his dishes are inspired by his culture. Growing 5
up, his mother was his first mentor and guide. “She cooked all the time,” José said. “She cooked like, 24/7.” Felice closed in 2022, but exciting opportunities seem to find those with passionate hearts. José’s new project will be executive chef and partner at Julia’s 1902 a restaurant in Willoughby, Ohio, which is under construction now. Julia’s will be on the ground floor of Willoughby House, a historic, thirty-three room, three story mansion built in 1902, formerly known as the Van Gorder Manor. Paul Neundorfer, a former owner of Felice, and his brother, Mike Neundorfer, who bought the manor and lead the construction, trust José fully, knowing not only the excellence of his food, but the strength of his character. While taking some photos in the manor, José stopped in a space created by removing walls from three rooms, with plaster stripped, and framework exposed, and explained that this was going to be the kitchen. You’d have to
