Doral Chef Arrested For Allegedly Stealing Business’ ‘Secret’ Recipes

A line cook at one of Doral’s most popular Venezuelan restaurants is facing a felony charge after he was allegedly caught stealing the restaurant’s secret recipe books by his colleagues.

According to WPLG Local 10, police stated that 50-year-old Carlos Francisco Gottberg Marquez was caught on camera stealing three recipe books from Mordisco Miami, the Doral-based restaurant known for its Latin fusion dishes and wood-fired cooking, where he works. Staff members reported to police on October 20 that they had noticed the books were missing and reviewed security footage, which showed Gottberg removing two on October 12 and a third on Sunday, October 19.

Investigators said they found Gottberg at his second job inside the Shoma Bazaar food hall, winner of New Times’ Best Food Hall 2023, where he worked at a sandwich and smoothie shop. When police questioned him, he reportedly said in Spanish, “It’s in my bike,” while referencing the stolen books. He was arrested on a charge of theft of trade secrets and, according to police, later made a full confession. The details of that confession were redacted in the report. However, according to the Daily Mail, during the interview, Marquez allegedly stated that the other two books were in his home and offered to escort officers there to retrieve them, which they accepted.

Ultimately, all three of the recipe books were recovered, and Marquez was taken to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. He appeared in Miami-Dade bond court on Tuesday, October 21, where a judge granted him pre-trial release, or an alternate bond of $2,500, and he was ordered to stay away from Mordisco Miami.

Mordisco’s Rising Popularity

Mordisco Miami opened in 2023 under the leadership of Venezuelan restaurateur César González. The restaurant quickly became a hit for its mix of Venezuelan, Colombian, and Caribbean flavors.

The Doral restaurant is the Latin American revival of the original Mordisco, which originated in Barcelona in 1986. In less than three years, the Miami location has garnered a strong following and amassed thousands of positive online reviews — more than 12,000 on Google alone — with an impressive 4.9-star average rating. 

The robust menu features dozens of items, ranging from Carne en Vara and seafood casseroles to ceviches, carpaccios, and desserts such as quesillo and a burnt Basque cheesecake. Mordisco’s large parrillas and dips, such as Diablito Sifrino and Reina Pepiada, have become customer favorites.

Police said it remains unclear what Gottberg planned to do with the stolen recipe books, as his second job didn’t serve Venezuelan food. Mordisco continues to operate as usual, serving dishes like Carne en Vara and Ceviche Carnavalero to crowds that fill the dining room nightly.

Mordisco Miami. 10355 NW 41st St., Doral; mordiscomiami.com.