In late winter of 2024, Carla Garcia received a phone call that would change the rest of her life. Serving as the Executive Sous Chef at the two-Michelin starred Jean Georges restaurant in New York City, Carla was running the dinner service when a coworker informed her of an important phone call. For a moment, dozens of possibilities ran through her mind, what could be important enough to interrupt service at one of the city’s most renowned restaurants?
Carla took the call from the dry storage area of the kitchen; the only place she could find privacy and enough silence to listen to the speaker. She answered the call and realized it was her idol, critically acclaimed Chef Dominique Crenn. Chef Crenn was minutes from announcing the winner of the American leg of the prestigious ArsNova competition that Carla had entered in September. The winner of the competition, selected amongst hundreds, would move onto Paris in February 2025 to compete on the international stage against 8 other nationally selected chefs.
The Prix International ArsNova de Cuisine d’Auteur is a prestigious culinary competition open exclusively to professional restaurant chefs. Held in nine countries and recognized around the world, it has become a benchmark of excellence in industry. First established in 1967, the competition was conceived to preserve and promote the traditions of French gastronomy, ensuring that its techniques and artistry are carried forward by new generations of chefs. Over the decades, it has shaped the careers of countless chefs, serving as both a guardian of culinary heritage and a showcase of technical mastery. Rooted in the belief that rigorous skill forms the foundation of artistry, the competition encourages chefs to pair precision with personal expression—qualities essential to reaching the pinnacle of the culinary world.
Back in the dry storage, Chef Crenn introduced herself and the standards of the competition. Then, she announced Chef Carla Garcia as the winner of the American leg. Carla herself was shocked, did she mishear? Was she really the champion? The best of hundreds and good enough to represent the United States internationally as a creative new chef? Sure enough, she was. Her dish, a Smoked Female Duck Breast, Tortilla and Chiltepin Rub, Braised and Stuffed Endive, Mezcal- Hibiscus Condiment and Duck Jus, stunned the famous Chef Crenn. Chef Crenn selected the dish not only for its assured technical excellence, expected given the caliber of each participating chef, but also for its storytelling power, a theme she has explored extensively throughout her own career. Crenn chose anonymously, knowing nothing about Carla or her career.
Chef Crenn was elated to meet Carla, now the American champion of the competition. Crenn is a staunch supporter of women in fine dining and creating space for women to thrive in such a male-dominated field. Crenn was so impressed with Carla’s performance that she sent a text to her friend and colleague, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, to congratulate him on having such talent managing one of his kitchens as an Executive Sous Chef. Carla later discovered that two of her idols were discussing her work in such a complimentary manner and was thrilled.
As the winner of the American leg of the competition, Carla would move onto the international stage in Paris. Moreover, she would not be preparing alone this time, she would have the support of her now-mentor Chef Dominique Crenn and Salvatore Rizzo, the manager for the American section of the ArsNova competition. With these two powerhouses to support her, Carla was well-prepared to take on the international challengers from France, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Japan, United Kingdom, Germany, and Sweden. It was no question that her groundbreaking dishes would take the international stage and blow the competition away.
Through this journey, Carla learned to trust both herself and her creative process. She came to see how her diverse experiences make her unique, and she is committed to embracing that individuality as she continues to achieve remarkable things and push herself even further on the international stage of culinary arts. Now recognized as the American Champion of Ars Nova and serving as Executive Sous Chef at Jean Georges, Carla has firmly established herself as one of the leading figures in contemporary American cuisine. We look forward with great anticipation to the next chapter of her distinguished career and the continued impact she will make on the culinary world.
