Today we’d like to introduce you to Cristian Herrera.
Hi Cristian, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
As a kid i always was so intrigued with insects and animals growing up. In my head I thought I’d become either an Entomologist or a Zoologist, but as time went on that idea changed to becoming a Professional Athlete. In high school I was playing Baseball, Basketball, and Soccer. Out of the three, baseball was the one I was mostly gifted at. As the years went on, with the camps and campuses I had the pleasure of attending, I was able to land one D1 offer to the University of WestPoint. When senior year approached I was excited for many reasons, the main reason was finally graduating high school to go to college. Half way through the school year when I felt like I was at my peak, covid hit.
Once covid hit the Georgia area in 2020 it felt like things started to go down hill. The major one was losing my opportunity to go to West Point because of an injury I had in my shoulder which had to be fixed with either surgery or long periods of rehab. At that moment in my life I had to make a big decision, to tell my parents that it’d be better for me to not continue down this path. My heart ached in sadness and depression when I had to make the hardest choice of my life. Me only knowing sports my whole life, had no idea what my next step would be. As time went on, I was trying out a few ideas of what I might like to do in the future like landscaping, utility work, or sales. Unfortunately, none of those careers brought me excitement or joy. As depressing as it was, I kept moving forward knowing God had my back. I knew he was just clearing a path out for me for my next chapter. One night I was scrolling on Instagram not knowing I was just randomly liking and saving all of these cooking videos, and than a light bulb flashed. To try the path that not many are able to withstand, the chef life.
Why a chef? I couldn’t even tell you but I will say this, it was the best decision I ever made. Being inside a kitchen can give you the same amount of energy, intensity, endurance, intelligence, communication, and flow as if you were playing in baseball game. As of 2026, I have been working and cooking in the kitchen now for 6 years and with every step, time, and effort I’ve put into this career, I still do not regret the decision I made that night when I was laying in bed scrolling on instagram.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Without a doubt it has been a very rough road for me. A lot of my struggles came from not having any skills or knowledge about the kitchen, also dealing with the different egotistic cooks and chefs. With that, it taught me a lot of patience down the road.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As of now, I work at Atlas in Buckhead, where we are established as a Michelin Star restaurant. There I work as a Prep Chef working in the early mornings of 8am to 4pm, leaving an hour before serve starts. There I believe I’m known for being a bright presence in the kitchen. I like to make myself known for my leadership and bright spirit. I believe I am most proud of this because there’s not many people that are willing to get up early in the mornings to go work and prep for long hours, using your hands none stop while dealing with many obstacles in task dealt with everyday. I think what mainly sets me apart from the others is not just skill, it’s having courage, confidence, and spirit.
Any big plans?
I’m not to sure what the future really holds for me or what exactly I have in mind for what I want to do. I have thought about owning my own restaurant or even becoming a private chef. As of right know my goal is to continue moving forward with gaining as much knowledge as I can in the kitchen while honing my skills so that I can be prepared for the future God has bestowed on me.
Pricing:
- From a prep chef’s perspective, pricing mainly affects ingredient selection and portion control. We focus on minimizing waste, using seasonal ingredients, and prepping efficiently so the kitchen can maintain quality while staying within budget.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: cristian.herrera44
Image Credits
Atlas, Chef Ty, Chef Nate, Trivet, Chef Rhyse, Erika Valentine
