“My eight brothers and sisters and I didn’t know how good we had it. There was no money to speak of, but somehow my mom managed to put dishes like roasted pernil and arroz con leche on the table every night. Of course, it was grossly unhealthy, but what did we care? We were kids and it was delicious—the spices and textures.”

During a stint in the Army, Carlos became the father of two children. After his service was completed, he moved to Los Angeles in his early to pursue a new life.

“I wanted my kids to have opportunities I didn’t growing up on the mean streets.”

“It was stressful for me at first,” Carlos says. “I was used to putting tons of butter and salt in everything. I had to learn to use the spices and herbs of the islands to carry the flavor of the food. There were a few disasters, but recipes like my yam and chicken stew started to take shape.”

 In the back of his mind, Carlos was formulating a business that would become The Fitness Kitchen.

“I could have followed the path of becoming a restaurant chef, but I’ve always kind of marched to my own drum. I didn’t want to cook for a bunch of strangers night after night. I wanted to cook my healthy recipes for a very select list of clients, so it’s like family, like home.”

Today, Carlos personally supervises the preparation of each Fitness Kitchen meal, incorporating his gourmet chef training, his studies of nutrition and physiology, and the flavors and colors of his Puerto Rican heritage. It’s exhausting work, but if you try any of Carlos’ meals, you will discover that it’s a winning formula!