Chef Roberto Cortez is a visionary culinary artist celebrated for transforming food into immersive, multisensory experiences that blur the lines between cuisine, design, and emotion. With over two decades of experience in the culinary world, Cortez has built a unique reputation for reimagining dining as an artistic and emotional journey.

A classically trained chef, Cortez studied at prestigious institutions including Le Cordon Bleu, L’École Lenôtre, and Bellouet Conseil in France. His global career has included working as a private chef for high-profile clients such as Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, Antonio Banderas, Eddie Murphy, Melanie Griffith, and even crafting a bespoke birthday cake for Lady Gaga.

Cortez is best known for founding CR8 Dining Experimental, a pop-up dining series originally launched in Los Angeles and later hosted in Seattle and other cities. Each CR8 event is a meticulously designed 8-course experience, integrating food with custom lighting, scent, music, and bespoke tableware. These events aim to evoke specific emotional responses through culinary storytelling, often involving collaborations with artists, designers, and sculptors.

In addition to his live work, Cortez is the author of Senses in Sucrose: The Art of Emotions in Sweet Form, a striking photographic exploration of dessert as a medium for emotional expression. Eschewing recipes, the book uses visual storytelling to provoke feeling and inspire creativity.

Cortez’s philosophy treats the plate as a canvas, with flavor, texture, and form acting as his artistic tools. His work has been featured in so good.. magazine, Seattle Weekly, Miele USA, and Eating Tools, among others. Through his groundbreaking approach, he continues to redefine what dining can be—transformative, sensory, and deeply personal.