EXECUTIVE CHEF MINA NEWMAN

Executive Chef, Mina Newman, is the creative force behind the restaurant Sen Sakana. Of Peruvian descent, Mina has long awaited the opportunity to present the cuisine of her heritage to New York diners, and it is with great pride that she finally does so. At Sen Sakana, she collaborated with Osaka native Taku Nagai, a well-respected chef in his own right, who worked in New York at the Ootoya restaurants, to blend Japanese and Peruvian flavors and dishes, showcasing the cuisine that was created with the migration of Japanese people to Peru. Sen Sakana also marks Mina’s return to a restaurant kitchen, having served as executive chef of the elegant event space Edison Ballroom since 2008, and as a consultant on Christo’s Steak House in Astoria.

Early in her career, Mina served as the chef of Drew Nieporent’s Layla, one of the first restaurants to showcase Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, and Dylan Prime, which billed itself as a female-friendly steakhouse. Mina also owned and operated the catering company, Boutique, which served clients such as Citigroup, J. Crew and jewelry designer Judith Ripka.

Throughout her career Mina has worked with some of the best chefs in New York including Marc Murphy, Joey Fortunatoand Laurent Tourandel. She was also part of the kitchen team at C.T., the restaurant that brought Brazilian celebrity chef Claude Troisgros to New York City. She has appeared on countless television shows, and was the winner of “Chopped” in 2009.