CHEF SONIA

Sonia El-Nawal, born in 1963, is of Armenian and Lebanese descent. She grew up in Beirut before moving to New York in 1976. Trained in the Chef’s Program at the New York Restaurant School, she is fluent in French, Spanish, Armenian, English and Arabic. Chef Sonia has been ensconced in the culinary world for over forty years, working with top chefs at beloved and world recognized hot spot eateries including Nobu, Bond St, Lafayette, Masa’s, Jojo’s, Apt, and Theo. Though she has honed her skills in the public sector, it is her work in the private sector which has provided her with the greatest sense of achievement, serving as a chef for families and notable persons in New York City, the Hamptons and Las Vegas. These personal working relationships, one lasting six years, have proven to be extraordinarily fulfilling and have allowed her to learn about culturally meaningful foods and different values and traditions. Because of these relationships she has continued to grow as a culinary artist. Chef Sonia started her journey in San Francisco with Chef Julian Serrano at Masa’s and then moved to New York where, at Sign of the Dove, she created visionary desserts. In 1989, she was hired to be Pastry Chef at the notable Lafayette restaurant under the direction of Jean Georges Vongerichten. Chef Sonia’s journey then took her to Paris where she spent six months enhancing her culinary skills by doing a Fauchon Stage with Pierre Herme. Soon after, she opened a popular diner in Belgium where her authentic NYC bagels and American favorites delighted the locals and brought ardent worldwide reviews including a cover feature in the New York Times “Style” section. After four years in Brussels, Chef Sonia headed for Miami as the Executive Pastry Chef at the Delano Hotel’s Blue Door restaurant. In 1996, as Pastry Chef at Nobu, Chef Sonia’s originative desserts garnered raves. Her recipes, including Blackberry Cobbler for Theo and innovative tapas “mini desserts” have been featured in the annual New York Magazine issue, “A Taste of Summer,” the New York Times, Esquire, Time Out, and New York Magazine. Chef Sonia has also appeared in numerous other venues including Elle Magazine, Home Desserts by Richard Sax and Cook’s Magazine as well as several foreign publications. Chef Sonia originated the Bond St desserts in 1998 and worked on the launch of the restaurant while also contributing to the innovative dessert offerings at many high-profile restaurants including Apt and Theo. While best known for her creative and sensuous desserts, she also had a devoted following with her catering company Lapin Plus which allowed her to indulge her passion for Mid-Eastern and Armenian cuisine. In 2003, Chef Sonia moved to Mexico City and helped open Condesa DF, a small boutique hotel in the heart of the vibrant, hipster La Condesa neighborhood. In 2007, she spearheaded a new culinary fashion in Mexico City - a gourmet marketplace that offered a diverse variety of prepared foods, baked goods, high-end pastries, cheeses, and charcuterie. Chef Sonia eventually relocated to Las Vegas where she owned and operated her unique brand, Rooster Boy Granola. Rooster Boy café provided warmth and all-day breakfasts (with her signature granola), fostering a sense of stability, employment, and hope during the height of the pandemic. Chef Sonia then opened her new brand Bodega Bagel bringing a flair of old NYC to the neighborhood. She has appeared on various television cooking shows including Chopped and Super Market Stake Out. She was also the food stylist for a Gucci digital ad campaign to honor the Year of the Tiger. Chef Sonia is currently focusing on farm to table and seasonal offerings as a private chef in Southampton, NY where she draws inspiration from nature, the local farms, and the fresh seafood markets. She focuses on dietary requirements, clean nutrition, juicing protocols, and delights in creating feasts for holiday celebrations. Her relationship with food is organic and rooted in its language of community and family. She sees her role as a private chef as one of collaboration, helping to manifest the health vision of a family on to the plate – filling each home with love and sustenance.