Hebron man takes home ACF-NW Indiana Chef of the Year honors
For the last few years, Jorge Sullon of Hebron has been tantalizing taste buds of gourmands around Northwest Indiana. Now, Sullon can add another honor to his accolades.
On Jan. 25 at the Western Winter Gala held at the Design Barn in Hebron, Sullon was named the Chef of the Year for 2024 by the American Culinary Federation (ACF) Chefs of Northwest Indiana. He has been a member of the organization for six years.
Sullon and his wife Alexandria currently live in Hebron, where they run Sullon Catering and the Mixtura food truck. He also handles the catering at the Design Barn as well. He previously worked at the Farmhouse at Fair Oaks Farms.
The award “reflects the work you put into the year,” Sullon said. He said working events and community involvement are among the criteria taken into consideration when selecting the Chef of the Year.
Sullon volunteers to cook for events for the organization, such as their Taste of the Farm event that started two years ago. In the first year of the event, the ACF was able to have 14 chefs and restaurants throughout the Calumet Region, he said. This past year, the number grew to approximately 30, with some breweries, wineries and distilleries being added to the roster of vendors, Sullon noted. While Taste of the Farm has been held at the Farmhouse and at the Design Barn, he hopes to bring this to other venues around the Region in the future.
Last year, the ACF partnered with Northwest Indiana No Child Hungry through Taste of the Farm, Sullon said. However, that’s not all he does with his philanthropic activities. Sullon also volunteers with Meals on Wheels. He donates food for a five or six course meal that will feed 500 people, and the proceeds from the meal goes to Meals on Wheels.
In a classic tale of living the American Dream, Sullon came to this country when he was 16 years old and graduated from high school in Los Angeles. Upon graduation from high school, he enrolled in culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena, California and then completed an internship at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, where he met Alexandria.
“We were both working for Mickey Mouse,” Sullon quipped. “And then she’s the one who brought me to Indiana.”
Some of his customer’s favorite dishes are the barbacoa grilled cheese, the Cuban sandwich – a recipe he picked up from this time in Florida – and chicken empanadas, the latter of which is a staple of his home country of Peru. Sullon is originally from the city of Lima, and specializes in cuisine from his home country.
“I like to showcase my roots and my culture on the table,” Sullon explained.
Peruvian fare is different than that of other countries in Central and South America, Sullon pointed out. He explained his home country’s cuisine has elements of Asian and European dishes. Think stir fry with ingredients found in South America, such as the Aji pepper.
“You’re going to find a lot of soy sauce in Peruvian cuisine,” Sullon explained. “A lot of Asian dishes that are mixed with Peruvian ingredients, and therefore it makes it unique.”
Chef of the Year was an honor that took Sullon somewhat by surprise. He gave credit where it’s due to Alexandria and their team for making it all possible.
“We work so hard,” Sullon said, “not just for our business, but we do a lot in the community and we are happy to do so. This is what we’re here for; to give back.”
For more information on the ACF of Northwest Indiana, please visit them online at acfchefsofnwi.org.