CHEF ADOLFO GARCIA JR. CELEBRATES HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH BY SPOTLIGHTING
NEW ORLEANS’ SPANISH CULINARY ROOTS

Dolfy’s chef reflects on Panamanian family heritage, legacy of RioMar and first dish he learned to cook
Recipe & Image: Shrimp Al Ajillo


NEW ORLEANS - This Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15), Chef Adolfo Garcia Jr. is celebrating the culinary traditions that shaped him, while shining a light on a part of New Orleans’ food history that often receives far less attention than its French and Creole influences: Spain.

The son of acclaimed New Orleans chef and restaurateur Adolfo Garcia Sr., whose family hails from Panama, Garcia Jr. grew up in his father’s restaurants, including the beloved Spanish seafood restaurant RioMar. Those early years introduced him to the flavors, ingredients, and techniques of Spanish cooking long before he attended the Culinary Institute of America and spent years working in New York kitchens.

Today, Garcia is carrying that heritage forward in his own way at Dolfy’s, New Orleans’ first Basque restaurant. Located on Freret Street, Dolfy’s explores the cooking of the Basque Country and Iberian Peninsula through live-fire techniques, Gulf seafood, pintxos and bold Spanish flavors.

“For me, these foods are tied to family and to growing up in restaurants,” says Garcia. “My father introduced me to Spanish cooking at a very young age, but as I’ve grown as a chef, I’ve wanted to understand those traditions more deeply and interpret them through my own experiences.” Hispanic Heritage Month also gives Garcia a chance to explore New Orleans’ often-overlooked connection to Spain and how those influences continue to evolve in the city’s kitchens today.

As part of the celebration, Garcia is sharing his recipe for Shrimp Al Ajillo, the first dish he ever learned to cook, which also showcases Gulf seafood that has always been central to New Orleans cuisine.

Dolfy’s is located at 4508 Freret Street in Uptown New Orleans and serves dinner Wednesday – Sunday from 5PM–10PM.  For additional information and to make a reservation, visit www.dolfys.com and stay up to date on Instagram: @dolfys_nola.