Veronica Tomaschek

Veronica Tomaschek is a chef and, with Laszlo Tomaschek, co-founder of El Velador, a Cleveland eatery serving Mexican comfort food that pairs professional culinary training with family tradition. The name means "The Watchman," after the figure who watched over and protected his community.

She earned a diploma in hotel and restaurant operations from Glion Hotel School in Switzerland and a bachelor's in culinary arts management from the Culinary Institute of America, then cooked in high-end hotels and restaurants, including the Mandarin Oriental in Switzerland and in Miami. Outside the kitchen she works in the Cleveland area as a translator, interpreter and mentor.