Our Chef

Irene Garza

Executive Chef

Chef Irene Garza cooks with instinct, intention, and a little fire.

As Executive Chef of il Modo, Garza leads with a style shaped by every station she has worked, every service she has run, and every cook she mentors along the way. Her food is rooted in Italian tradition but never frozen in it, pulling from the coastal ease of southern Italy, the soul of her own upbringing, and the kind of kitchen confidence that only comes from earning your place.

Expect handmade pastas, bold sauces, fire-kissed proteins, Calabrian heat, bright citrus, bitter greens, and dishes that feel personal without trying too hard. For Garza, food is memory, movement, and care. It should transport you somewhere, whether that is a table by the coast, a family meal, or a moment you did not know you needed.

As il Modo’s first female Executive Chef, Garza leads from within the kitchen, not above it. Her approach is sharp, soulful, and deeply human: respect the ingredient, honor the craft, and make every plate matter.