Manny Rojas
Or, The Whale | Nantucket, MA
SEPTEMBER 2023
Manny Rojas’ culinary career started by mistake. Growing up in New York City, he initially wanted to pursue a design or photography career. When he saw that the Whole Foods Market in The Bowery was hiring for design work, he applied and got the job. But, a week later, they realized that they over-hired, and gave Rojas a job in the prep kitchen instead. After building a strong foundation, he was moved up to display cook. Armed with a rolling table and a single burner, Rojas began to feel his creativity spike. He enrolled at the French Culinary Institute, and after graduating, took a role at Momofuku Ssam Bar, growing a wide range of techniques and culinary philosophies. At times, Rojas felt he was in over his head, but was determined to learn everything he could during his three years there. Looking for a change of pace, he spent a few months at Bar Basque in Koreatown, and then applied to what he thought was The Pearl Hotel in Midtown.
A few moments later, he got a call from a Massachusetts number—he had actually applied to The Pearl on Nantucket. He took the job, and three years later, opened the group’s next project, The Nautilus, as chef de cuisine. Rojas went on to helm the kitchen as executive chef at Sandbar, where he consistently pumps out over 1,000 daily covers. The Sandbar’s group took over the space that’s now or, The Whale, and brought in Rojas as a partner to run the kitchen. What was an all-day diner menu in 2019 evolved through the pandemic into Rojas’ vision. Combining his love of Mexican and Caribbean cuisine with local, fresh ingredients and the fermentation skills from his time at Ssam Bar, Rojas overhauled the space to serve dishes like his Pan Mee marinated prawns with yuzu aïoli and grilled lemon.
2023 StarChefs Coastal New England Rising Stars Award Winner
