ISKANDER
Iskander Gener left Cuba in 2008 at age 24. His circuitous path to the United States via Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Brasil, and México over the next two years served as an introduction to mainland, Latin American cuisine and her various dining customs. After finally arriving in the Austin, Texas in 2010, Iskander began working at popular Cuban restaurants. His honest and hard-working character, coupled with his fun-loving and generous personality were an immediate fit. As a result, his natural talent for the restaurant industry quickly led to a successful management role which he held for the three years ending in 2014. With this background and a trove of family recipes, Iskander formed his own vision for a Cuban establishment in Austin, one whose philosophy, "Simple, Fresh & Homemade" would resonate in Austin’s quest for authenticity.
In February 2015, Iska and his Ecuadorian wife Tuky opened Guantanamera as a manifestation of their own American Dream. Their vision for Guantanamera is to provide un rincon (hiding corner) where one can escape to find homemade Cuban recipes prepared with the freshest ingredients. Guantanamera further seeks to provide an authentic, multicultural experience akin to dining with a Cuban family, 90 miles off the Florida coast.