Guillermo Pernot and his business partner opened the doors of ¡Pasion! to immediate success and acclaim in 1998. Pernot's culinary talent of choreographing Latin flavors and his own favorite ingredients draws many raves and awards. His interpretations of ceviche, a Latin-style appetizer traditionally made with marinated fresh raw fish, has been his claim to fame. Pernot discovered ceviche during his travels to Lima, Peru. The dish he tried there, however, is a far cry from the variations he has created today in a line-up that drives people into his restaurants to get their ceviche fix.

Guillermo is now the Concept Chef at Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar, bringing traditional and updated Cuban cuisine to its Philadelphia and Atlantic City locations.

Guillermo Pernot is a self-trained chef who grew up in Argentina. He began his career at a bed-and-breakfast in Pennsylvania, where he wowed patrons with his seven-course dinners which earned him praise at several other hotels. He also spent two years as chef de cuisine at Treetops Restaurant in the AAA Five-Diamond Rittenhouse Hotel. Pernot then worked at Vega Grill, where his success escorted him to the opening of ¡Pasion! in Philadelphia.

His popularity and recognition has earned Pernot many awards including America's Best Restaurants 2000 from Gourmet magazine. Pernot was also Esquire's Chef of the Year in 1999, one of America's Ten Best Chefs 1998 from Food & Wine magazine, and listed as one of 10 Rising Stars in Restaurant Hospitality. He also co-wrote a top-selling cookbook, ¡Ceviche!, in 2001. He has also appeared on the Food Network's "Ready Set Cook."