Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month is celebrated every year from September 15 to October 15, and it’s a time to pay tribute to the generations of Hispanics who have positively influenced the United States. The stories of many Hispanics in the U.S. are of determination, perseverance, hard work and a strong belief in Si Se Puede (Yes You Can). And for me, like many other Hispanics, making our parents and family proud is such an integral part of everything we work for — and that is no different for the Colón brothers, a Puerto Rican chef duo at Universal Orlando Resort.
Chef Marcos Colón and Chef Chris Colón have both been working at Universal Orlando for over 20 years, and many of the dining experiences guests enjoy today are thanks to them and their talented team of chefs. Together, they have had a hand in helping open just about every restaurant currently in Universal CityWalk and now get to work together to bring the new dining experiences coming to Universal Epic Universe next year.
Both chefs got their start as line cooks without any culinary schooling when Chef Marcos started at the previous Pastamore Ristorante at Universal CityWalk. Chef Chris eventually followed in his older brother’s footsteps, starting at Mythos Restaurant at Universal Islands of Adventure. Through many years of hard work and learning, Chef Marcos is now the executive chef and director of culinary operations at Universal Epic Universe and Chef Chris is the executive sous chef of research & development for Universal Orlando Resort. So, while Chef Chris and his team ideate and create the different food offerings, Chef Marcos and his team execute it for guests to enjoy.
Chef Marcos and Chef Chris both grew up with food as an integral part of their upbringing. Chef Marcos has worked in kitchens his whole life — whether as a busser, dishwasher or as a cook — so it has been an environment very familiar to him until he eventually realized, as he puts it, “This is what I want, this is my career. I could see myself doing this for the rest of my life.”
Chef Chris, on the other hand, started cooking with his mom when it was just the two of them while Marcos was finishing school. Chef Chris says, “It really started for me [as] just kind of trying to help my mom, you know, cooking, so she could come home and not have to worry about it.”
He shares memories of always having home-cooked meals. “My mother is the best cook I know. Growing up, it was the memory I had of her cooking or my grandmother’s cooking. I just fully kind of fell in love with it and dove in really deep.”
Chef Marcos and Chef Chris bring parts of their culture into their work every single day. Chef Marcos recalls, “I equate this smell of oil frying on the stove top to my childhood and growing up, because we do the fried platanos, the tostones, fried pork chops, the breaded steak. And then that cilantro, garlic, onion; that sofrito, the recaito smell that always brings me back.” The duo has also been known to use family recipes to bring delicious dishes to life for events like Universal Mardi Gras. For example, Chef Chris cites the Alcapurrias and Pastelón that have been featured at the Puerto Rico booth at the event.
Of course, with pulling inspiration from the food they ate growing up and even actually using those family recipes to bring new flavors for guests, it’s very important to both brothers to make their mom proud. “Family to me is everything, so she was my inspiration growing up and, you know, my food is her food,” Chef Chris says. “So to know that I’m doing my mother justice, it will never not be cool to know that someone worldwide now is eating something that my mother cooked for us when we were kids.”
While telling me their story, the two brothers recreated their favorite dishes from their childhood. Chef Marcos made pernil and arroz con gandules while recalling memories of eating this growing up. “My favorite holiday is Christmas, so whenever I eat that, I tie it back to the holidays,” he says. “Sometimes the most simple things are the most flavorful, and I think a lot of those dishes from our childhood are just that, they just taste good.”
And Chef Chris made corned beef and rice, saying, “As early as I could have a memory of eating that meal, it’s been my favorite since I was a little boy. It’s definitely not the most beautiful thing, but it’s great, it’s the single greatest thing ever to me.”
Having both worked at Universal Orlando for over 20 years, they’ve grown very close and enjoy working together. “It’s always been really cool to have my older brother, to have someone that you could [completely] trust that you know will give you the truth no matter what, whether it’s hard or, you know, whether it’s good news, has always been something really great to me,” Chef Chris says. Chef Marcos agrees, adding, “It’s so refreshing to be able to have that, and I think it’s something that I wish everybody could have.”
The Colón brothers are both proud of everything they’ve accomplished so far in their careers, but they say their proudest moment is still to come.
“The minute it was announced, Epic Universe, I said to everybody that I could say it to, ‘I’m gonna be the chef of Epic Universe’,” Chef Marcos says. “And to see it finally happen, [I’m] so proud of that.”
“I can’t wait to stand at the rooftop bar at Helios, looking over what we just opened when we open Epic Universe,” Chef Chris adds. “And the icing on the top of the cake is I’ll probably have my brother there right next to me.”
Chef Marcos and Chef Chris embody the determination that lives within many Hispanics with the drive to accomplish whatever they set their mind to. Chef Chris says, “Hard work pays off and, you know, as long as you’re passionate about something and you’re dedicated, you could do anything. You can do anything you put your mind to, so I think we’re both really good examples of that.”
All that they’ve accomplished has been through the work ethic that they’ve learned from their family and always embracing their culture. “Don’t back away from showing who you are and your culture and your food,” Chef Marcos says. “Embrace all that, that’s some of the best food out there because it’s a great story behind it. Don’t shy away from it, really dig in and learn as much as you can about all different cultures.”
Universal Orlando is such a great place to celebrate all different cultures with talented chefs from all over the world bringing their own stories to life through food, and Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month is the perfect time for that. This year’s limited-time offerings include Brazilian Brigadeiros at Backwater Bar and Croissant Moon in Universal Islands of Adventure, plus:
- Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food at Universal CityWalk
- Chalupas – two house-made chalupas topped with lettuce, chicken tinga, salsa verde, pico de gallo, queso fresco and micro cilantro, served with red rice and refried beans
- Tamale de Fresa – strawberry flavored tamale drizzle with sweet cream cheese sauce, freeze dried strawberry yogurt, mint and fresh strawberries
- Arandano Ranch Water – Montelobos Espadin joven, Cuervo Tradicional silver tequila, lime juice, Topo Chico Sabores Blueberry with Hibiscus Extract
- The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar at Universal CityWalk
- Heritage Roll** – yellow rice soy wrap filled with marinated steak, shrimp and cream cheese, topped with sweet plantain and avocado, drizzled over with green onion aioli and a sprinkle of scallions and sesame seeds
**This item is served using raw or undercooked ingredients - Piña Colada Cake – soft pineapple yellow cake with a caramel and rum glaze topped with a cherry and toasted coconut
- Heritage Roll** – yellow rice soy wrap filled with marinated steak, shrimp and cream cheese, topped with sweet plantain and avocado, drizzled over with green onion aioli and a sprinkle of scallions and sesame seeds
- Voodoo Doughnut at Universal CityWalk
- Spicy Mango Donut – yeast shell filled with spicy mango filling, dipped in red vanilla icing and topped with a spicy dried mango
- Confisco Grille at Universal Islands of Adventure
- El Jibarito Sandwich – Puerto Rican spiced roasted pork served between two fried plantains topped with cilantro garlic aioli, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickled red onions
- Carne Guisada – seasoned beef braised with potatoes and carrots, white rice avocado, sweet plantains
- Backwater Bar at Universal Islands of Adventure and Chez Alcatraz at Universal Studios Florida
- Frozen Pineapple Caipirinha – Pitu Cachaça, lime juice, simple syrup and pineapple juice
There are so many delicious ways to celebrate Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month at Universal Orlando Resort this month. Let us know what you’re looking forward to most!
Must be 21 years and older with valid identification to purchase or drink alcoholic beverages.
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