Lecturing Instructor, Culinary Arts, The Culinary Institute of America | Hyde Park, NY

Shamil Velázquez ‘14 is lecturing instructor of culinary arts at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA). Growing up in Puerto Rico, Shamil’s life was centered around feeding and caring for those around him. The heart and soul of food are what drew him to the kitchen and to the CIA, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in farm-to-table practices in 2014. As a culinary student, Shamil worked under Chef José Andrés as an intern at Zaytinya in Washington D.C. and under Chef Larry Forgione in Napa, CA. After graduating from the CIA, Shamil returned to Napa Valley to work for Chef Cindy Pawlcyn at Mustards Grill where he learned the importance of a strong relationship between a restaurant and its farmers. With a desire to explore the culture and origins of southern food, Shamil accepted a position in 2017 with The Neighborhood Dining Group as a sous chef for Husk Restaurants in Charleston, SC. There he quickly realized the connections between the philosophy of Husk and his upbringings in Puerto Rico which both celebrate the relationship between cultures and cuisine, the preservation of ingredients at their peak, and the food traditions passed through generations. After two years at Husk, Shamil was appointed executive chef at Delaney Oyster House, a new concept in Charleston, SC honoring the Lowcountry’s significance as a coastal region and inspired by America’s traditional oyster houses. In 2020, Shamil received a nomination for Best Chef Southeast by the James Beard Foundation. He then became a dual executive chef of Delaney Oyster House and Minero, a Mexican concept by the same group that focuses on traditional Oaxacan food. The love of teaching others led Shamil back to his roots at the CIA in 2023 to teach the future chefs of this new generation.