Chef Yara Herrera – Executive Chef of Hellbender | Rising Star of Modern Mexican-American Cuisine |The Culinary Voice Behind NYC’s Hellbender Nighttime Café |Chef Yara Herrera’s Rise as a Cultural Tastemaker |StarChefs Rising Star 2025 & Heirloom Ingredient Champion
Early Life: Californian Roots & Mexican Soul
Born and raised in California’s San Fernando Valley, Chef Yara Herrera grew up in a culturally vibrant and gastronomically rich household. Her mother hailed from Jalisco, a region celebrated for its bold, hearty cuisine like birria and tortas ahogadas, while her father came from Mexico City, known for its dynamic street food and cosmopolitan culinary traditions. These contrasting yet complementary regional flavors defined the culinary spirit of her upbringing.
Despite being surrounded by a home filled with the aromas of simmering salsas and sizzling comals, Yara’s early ambitions didn’t point toward the kitchen. She initially envisioned a career in social work, inspired by a deep desire to make a difference in people’s lives. That trajectory shifted dramatically when she enrolled in a high school culinary arts class. What started as an elective soon evolved into a full-blown passion. For the first time, Yara experienced the transformative power of food—not just as a necessity or a cultural marker, but as an expressive art form and a communal experience.
By the age of 20, Yara had fully committed to a career in hospitality. She saw food as a new kind of social work—a way to connect, to nourish, and to create spaces where people feel seen, valued, and fed on more than just a physical level. This realization became the heartbeat of her culinary philosophy: honoring heritage while creating something wholly her own. Her decision to attend culinary school while juggling work was not just a career move, but a declaration of intent.
The kitchen became her classroom, therapy, and creative studio all in one. And from that moment forward, there was no turning back.
Culinary Education: A Journey of Grit and Growth
Yara Herrera’s culinary education was far from conventional—it was a rigorous blend of classroom instruction and real-world experience. She attended culinary school in Los Angeles, where she studied classical technique, kitchen sanitation, and the principles of modern cooking. Yet what truly set her apart was her commitment to balancing a full-time job in a professional kitchen while completing her formal training.
Each day, Yara would spend mornings in class learning the “why” behind flavors, plating, and precision. By afternoon and late into the night, she was back in bustling kitchens, applying those lessons on the line. The experience forged a deep work ethic and sharpened her skills under pressure.
Unlike many students who waited to graduate to begin working, Yara treated her education as a living apprenticeship. Her culinary school journey wasn’t about memorizing recipes—it was about absorbing the rhythm of the kitchen, mastering technique, and proving herself through consistency.
Her path shaped her into a chef who thrives under intensity, blends theory with instinct, and leads with both knowledge and humility. It was in this balancing act that Yara discovered her voice—and built the foundation for a culinary career grounded in excellence and endurance.
Katsuya, Los Angeles
Yara began her professional culinary career at Katsuya under Chef David Lespron. Here she learned the value of prep precision, kitchen tempo, and the early fundamentals of fine dining.
Spago, Beverly Hills
Her next leap was to the iconic Spago, working under the Wolfgang Puck brand. Spago taught her upscale techniques and plated elegance, refining her culinary approach.
Providence, Los Angeles
Under Chef Michael Cimarusti, Yara spent two years at the Michelin-starred Providence. She forged connections with local farmers and seafood vendors and cultivated her principles of sustainable sourcing and ingredient-driven cuisine.
Culinary Expansion: East Coast & Creative Growth
Majordōmo & Momofuku Ko
Collaborating with David Chang at Majordōmo and later moving to Momofuku Ko under Chef Sean Gray, Yara embraced creative risk-taking and experimental cuisine. At Ko, she played a key role in crafting the bar menu and refining her personal culinary style.
Xilonen, Brooklyn
As Chef de Cuisine at Xilonen, Yara explored vegan Mexican cuisine, connecting deeply with her heritage. She celebrated heirloom corn, chilies, and legumes while reimagining traditional dishes for a modern, plant-based audience.
Hellbender: Founding a Culinary Haven
The Vision Behind Hellbender
In 2024, Yara launched Hellbender Nighttime Café in Ridgewood, Queens, in partnership with Howard Kalachnikoff and Rafiq Salim. Hellbender became her canvas for blending fine-dining technique with Mexican-American soul food.
Signature Menu Highlights
- Squash-Bloom Quesadilla: Open-faced, heirloom masa, visual storytelling on a plate.
- Oyster-Mushroom Birria: A hearty, flavorful plant-based twist.
- Shrimp Cocktail & Tilefish Torta: Coastal nostalgia with a modern vibe.
- Watermelon Salad: Tajín, lime zest, chamoy — a summer staple.
Sourcing & Heritage Grains
Yara emphasizes sourcing heirloom ingredients like Mexican corn and cacao through Sobre Masa. This commitment roots her menu in tradition while propelling it forward.
Recognition & Culinary Impact
StarChefs 2025 Rising Star
In February 2025, Yara was named a StarChefs Rising Star for New York. This recognition honored her leadership, innovation, and advocacy for heritage cuisine in modern kitchens.
Community & Collaboration
Yara is known for her pop-ups and collaborations at places like Wildair and Gertrude’s, constantly pushing culinary boundaries while nurturing a spirit of shared growth.
Yara’s Philosophy: Food with Meaning
“Food connects people. Anyone, no matter what language you speak, can learn how to work in a kitchen if they apply effort.”
Yara sees food as a bridge—between cultures, generations, and experiences. Her vision for the future includes expanding Hellbender, mentoring young chefs, and eventually creating a tasting-menu-driven concept that continues telling stories through food.
A New Standard in Mexican-American Dining
Chef Yara Herrera represents a new generation of culinary leaders—visionaries who fuse authenticity with bold reinterpretation. Through Hellbender, she has built more than just a restaurant; she has built a movement centered on flavor, equity, and community. Her food is rooted in the cultural depth of Mexican traditions, but it refuses to be boxed in by stereotypes or expectations. She redefines what it means to cook Mexican-American cuisine in the 21st century: blending heirloom ingredients with fine-dining techniques, creating dishes that are soulful, elegant, and unapologetically personal.
What makes Yara’s approach so impactful is her ability to weave together multiple identities—Angeleno and New Yorker, chef and activist, technician and storyteller. Her dishes don’t just taste good; they carry the weight of memory, migration, resilience, and creative rebellion. From squash-blossom quesadillas to watermelon salads kissed with chamoy, every plate becomes a tribute to her roots and a celebration of possibility.
Beyond the kitchen, Yara champions inclusivity, mentorship, and sustainability. She collaborates with local farms, supports Mexican producers, and ensures that her team reflects the diversity of the community she serves. Her leadership goes beyond flavor—it’s about creating belonging.
As her influence continues to grow, Chef Yara Herrera is setting a bold new standard for Mexican-American dining—one that is deeply grounded, fiercely innovative, and unmistakably her own.
