Presenters

Mario Ferro

Mario Ferro, who has been with Caribe Hilton for 22 years, was promoted last year to the well-deserved position of Culinary Director of the historic resort, a symbol of glamour and style in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico.  Ferro, a seasoned and talented food service professional, brings over 37 years of culinary experience to the table.

In his current position, Ferro oversees Caribe Hilton’s two restaurants, the room service division for the resort’s 816 guestrooms and its bustling banquet and events departments. 

Previously, Ferro held the positions of Food and Beverage Director, Executive Chef, Food and Beverage Manager, and Senior Sous Chef at the award-winning Caribe Hilton. 

Ferro’s worldwide culinary experience includes posts as a Sous Chef at the Vista International Hotel in Kansas City, an Executive Sous Chef at Cartagena Hilton Hotel in Colombia, and a Senior Sous Chef of the Cairo El Salam Hotel in Egypt, among other positions in the field.  He began his training in the kitchen of the Tequendama Intercontinental Hotel in Bogota, Columbia. Caracas Hilton, Venezuela and London Hilton, England.

Mario Ferro is the recipient of numerous awards, including Chef of the Year, Best Piece of the Show Award, Judges Special Award, and four Silver and four Bronze Awards from the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association.  He was also named Chef of the Year by the Puerto Rico Chapter of the America Culinary Federation and was the winner of the General Food’s Nutrition Course Scholarship through the American Culinary Institute.  

A popular coach and teacher, Ferro coached two Puerto Rico Junior Teams in two American Culinary Federation Competitions in which one team brought home a Gold and the other Silver.  He also served as a professor of culinary arts at the Puerto Rico Hotel School in San Juan from 1989-1990.

Ferro, who plays an active role in the culinary community of Puerto Rico, is currently in the consultant committee of the Escuela Hotelera de San Juan.
Past posts include vice president (twice chairman of the Certification Committee of the Puerto Rico Chefs Association) of PRCA. culinary team consultant to Job Corps of Puerto Rico Ferro has also dedicated his time to serve in many volunteer capacities for the Puerto Rico Chapter of the American Culinary Federation.

For the pass two years he is the adviser to the “Consejo de Education Superior de Puerto Rico”, for the evaluation and certification of associate and bachelor degree in Culinary arts at the Este University in San Juan.

Ferro holds certification from both the SENA National Institute of Learning in Colombia and the National Institute of Cooperative Education in Venezuela.  He received his certification in Food and Beverage Management from Cornell University. He is a Certified Executive Chef by the American Culinary Federation since 1993.  Ferro resides in Caguas, Puerto Rico.