Nelson German

Nelson German, Top Chef Season 18 Contestant and chef/owner of alaMar and Sobre Mesa, shares the story of his culinary journey through his cooking. Born and bred in Manhattan’s Washington Heights, in Uptown Manhattan, German worked countless hours in New York City restaurants, including Joseph’s Citarella and Gramercy Park Hotel with Chef Yugi Wakiya, from whom he learned Asian flavors and techniques. He spent time studying the art of simple Mediterranean cuisine through his travels to Spain, France, and Italy. He learned local, seasonal, sustainable California cuisine at SupperClub SF.

AlaMar, a Michelin-recommended seafood spot in Oakland, marked the first venture born from German's love and passion for creating art with his food. His talents have garnered rave reviews from San Francisco Chronicle and Oakland magazine and earned him spots at the prestigious Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival and ChefsFeed Indie Week Portland. He was also commissioned to showcase California Cuisine in Mexico City by Visit California. Most recently he was featured as a contributing chef in East Bay Cooks, a recipe book that highlights the East Bay’s top restaurants, bars, and bakeries.  In 2020, Chef Nelson was awarded the coveted title of “Chefs to Watch” by Plate Magazine and in 2022, he was awarded “Best Chef” by East Bay Express.

German is Dominican by heritage and, as an ode to his Latin American roots, German opened the Afro-Latino Kitchen, Sobre Mesa, in 2020. His successful bar program at alaMar spurred a passion for creating art from cocktails and stoked a desire to bring something unique, vibrant, and beautiful to his chosen home of Oakland. The term Sobre Mesa (literally “on the table”) refers to what you do after your meal when drinks continue and meaningful conversation begins.

Sobre Mesa’s tapas and chef-driven cocktails and unique Afro-Latino vibe mark another high point in his culinary career where he hopes to lead a trend in chef-driven cocktail bars. More importantly, he hopes his food will spark a conversation about his guests’ own history and culture.  To learn more, check out his website.