About Avarya

Chef Allan Aguinaga

Owner/Operator AVARYA Cali Cuisine

 

Chef Allan Aguinaga is an Orange County native, born and raised in Santa Ana. At a young age Allan took interest in cooking with his grandmother when she would come to visit from Jalisco, Mexico. The bold flavors of Mexican cuisine spurred a fire in him at a young age which continued through high school and college.

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After a fateful trip to South America with his sister Sylvia in 2010, he found the inspiration to follow his dream of becoming a chef on the steps of Machu Picchu, Peru. He immediately enrolled in the Culinary Art Institute of Orange County and graduated at the top of his class in 2012. He then began his true education in the restaurant industry as a cook with Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen under Executive Chef Darrin Finkel. He quickly learned every station and won Cook of the Year in 2012.

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After absorbing all the knowledge he could, Chef Allan went on to work alongside Chef Daniel Hyatt, at one of Orange County’s premier restaurants, Juliette Kitchen. There he rose quickly under the tutelage of Chef Dan, making Sous Chef in eight months. He quickly learned how to manage his crew properly and uphold the high standards of Juliette Kitchen.

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Always hungry to learn every aspect of the culinary industry, Chef Allan joined the ranks of True Food Kitchen, a Fox Restaurant concept as a sous chef in 2015. There he began to understand the Farm to Table concept and big production kitchens. Working at True Food, Chef Allan was able to pick the brain of one of Orange County’s pioneers in Farm to Table cooking, Chef Richard Mead. Chef Rich (Sage, Sage on the Coast) was waiting for another challenge when he opened Farmhouse, a Farm to Table restaurant, focusing on farm fresh ingredients.

 

Seizing an opportunity to learn under such an amazing chef, Chef Allan accepted the position of Chef de Cuisine alongside Chef Rich. In only half a year Farmhouse has skyrocketed to the top of Orange County Restaurants. Making both Brad Johnson’s top 75 restaurants in Orange County and “2nd hardest Table Reservation to get” in Orange Coast Magazine.

Continuing his pursuit of improving and learning, Allan moved on to work alongside the reputable Chef Rainer Schwarz, Chef owner and operator for Sentinel Restaurant Group, upscale boutique dining in South Orange County. Chef Allan was Chef de Cuisine of Hendrix, The Deck and Driftwood Kitchen. Here he honed his coastal cuisine mentality which directly reflected his lifestyle.

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A great opportunity arrived in the aftermath of the 2021 COVID crisis in the form of a Corporate Executive Chef position with a tenured Mexican Grill that had already almost completed it’s 50 years of community dining, Rodrigos Mexican Grill. At Rodrigos, Chef Allan was able to hone his corporate and leadership skills running a multi-unit restaurant establishment.

 

After some deep meditation and self-reflection Chef Allan decided to break off the normal culinary institution and create AVARYA California Cuisine, a reflection of over 17 years of restaurant knowledge and ingenuity. On his days off he dedicates himself to his daughters Arya and Ava. Chef Allan believes success is maintaining a work-life balance and growing in knowledge every day always remembering that your guest will be your highest priority.