Chef Norman Van Aken has stepped down from both his post as director of restaurants at Miami Dade College's Miami Culinary Institute and executive chef at Tuyo restaurant.
Van Aken, who recently released his memoir, No Experience Necessary, is busy promoting the book. The chef recently appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live to cook his carney corn dogs.
Van Aken said, "I had a wonderful experience at MDC and Tuyo and will miss my colleagues and, especially, the students," adding that his experiences have encouraged him "to blaze new culinary trails."
He was involved with the Miami Culinary Institute since it opened in spring 2011 and was named executive chef of the school in July 2011. At the time, Van Aken told Short Order: "There has been a journey in my life that has set me on a course to be involved in a culinary school."
Tuyo opened in the fall of that year. In a review of the restaurant, nestled atop MDC's culinary school, food critic Lee Klein said that Van Aken "remains a local culinary icon" and that "if you are one of the many longtime fans of his New World fusion or have never tried it, Tuyo is the only place to do so."
Tuyo will remain open without Van Aken.
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