A well-traveled man of many talents, Javier hails from Caracas, Venezuela, where he learned to swim at age three at Club Canario Venezolano. By the time he was five, he was racing in local competitions, specializing in the backstroke. Javier went on to compete in Nacional Competitions throughout Venezuela, before turning his attention to the culinary arts at age 18. After graduating from culinary school, he lived and worked in Italy, Switzerland, the Canary Islands, and Barcelona, honing his skills both as a chef and as a swim instructor at various resorts. Javier then turned his attention to his third great passion - music. When he returned to Venezuela he worked as an audio engineer and gained a following as a popular DJ. In New York, Javier found his way to Imagine through our proud network of Venezuelan Imaginaires. From cooking to dj'ing to teaching swimming, he notes that his goal is to be an 'instructor of the senses'. A mission that is fulfilled each week in the water at Imagine...