At Stella Marina, Ariel Garcia’s menu is inspired by seasonal vegetables and proteins

by Jessica Jones-Gorman Photos By Robert Nuzzie

When Chef Ariel Garcia is preparing his winter menu at Stella Marina, shifting spices with the season while still staying true to the eatery’s traditional recipes, he draws inspiration from a range of fresh and hearty ingredients.

“There are so many beautiful vegetables to work with in the winter,” said Garcia, who has been at the helm of Stella Marina’s kitchen in Asbury Park since 2014. “I can build a dish around butternut squash or radicchio, and fruits like cranberry and pomegranate are also very inspiring. But nothing tops a great piece of fish; when you find a beautiful cod that’s just the right cut and quality, it’s easy to create something very special.”

“I’ve been cooking for 14 years,” he said, detailing a diverse history in the industry. “The first day I stepped into a restaurant kitchen, I knew this was the career for me.”

After being enamored with the restaurant business for much of his youth, Garcia began his career as a line cook at the White Sands in Point Pleasant Beach before taking a position as sous chef at the Blue Water Grill. He also worked as sous chef at the Windward Tavern in Brick before taking a line cook position at Stella Marina in 2011.

“I’ve worked with so many incredibly talented chefs throughout my career, who have all inspired me,” Garcia said. “When you’re in the kitchen, taking direction from such esteemed professionals, it shapes you. All of my experience has helped me grow and learn and establish the skills I have today. I had a lot of experience working in Italian restaurants, and used that knowledge when I came to Stella Marina. But in my own personal recipes I like to work with fish or vegetables as the star of the meal, so I combined both styles to create some innovative dishes.”

Garcia’s current favorite meal to prepare is hearty vegetable broth flavored with aged Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino-Romano cheeses. The soup is also full of fresh seasonal vegetables and juniper berries.

“I’ve been working here for more than five years, so I’ve learned what local residents like,” Garcia said. “I continuously check to see which vegetables and fish are available from the local markets and use them to build recipes that I know our clients will love.”
But Garcia also sticks with the Italian staples that Stella Marina diners return for—like house-made meatballs and freshly crafted personal pizza.

“The bolognese and the calamari are traditional and perfect, too,” the chef concluded. “And those are the types of recipes that inspired me to this line of work, so I still love to make them every day.”

Stella Marina Bar & Restaurant
800 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park / 732.775.7776
stellamarinarestaurant.com