Carlos

Carlos on the Hot Seat

1. What inspired you to become a Chef?

It was actually my daughter. I’ve always wanted to move to the States, but it wasn’t until my daughter came along that I doubled down on my aspiration to provide a better life for my family. Of course, I needed to find a skill and work on it, but I couldn’t figure out what it was. And eventually it hit me that I was always known as the ‘cook’ of the family but I never made anything of it until this point. I started mastering the skill that came to me naturally, and perfected around 100 traditional Mexican recipes. The rest just fell into its place, I bagged a job and here I am giving this interview about my journey. I just wake up thankful and am counting my blessing every day. 

2. What is your signature dish? What do people love about it?

I’ll have to go with burritos, for a personal reason. Burritos is what I call my daughter because when I first held her, all wrapped up in those baby clothes, she looked so much like a cute little burrito. I know it’s silly, and she’ll get mad that I outed her “embarrassing” story ha-ha, but it is what it is! 

3. How do you describe your overall cooking philosophy?

Cooking is very closely tied to my family, so I’d say create with love. Every platter that goes out of my kitchen is a part of someone’s anniversary dinner, birthday, reunion, family get-togethers, an important business deal etc. So, I take my job very seriously without taking anything for granted. It’s what has given me the life I enjoy today, and I owe it to the culinary world to give my best.

4. Tell us a little about your time in Mexico.

Ahhh Mexico! It’s a country of geographical wonder and a great palate for rich flavors. The highs of mountains, the lows of canyons, dry desserts in the north and tropical rain forests in the south, it truly is a land of extremes. I think if there is one word to describe Mexico, it’s vibrant. The culture, the food, the people, the art, let’s not forget the music! What’s not to love. I am super proud of being a Latino!

5. If you weren’t a chef, what would you be?

I think I’d be a tourist guide. The tourism industry is a huge pool of opportunities in Mexico, and is always thriving. If I wasn’t able to offer great food, I’d guide people to go places with great food. Basically, I’d do something that spreads the word about my beautiful country in one way or the other.