Nobody Likes Sweaty Coleslaw.

I Like To Cook With The Philosophy Of Using Great Ingredients And Not Altering Them Too Much.

My Mother And My Grandmother Are Pioneers Of Mexican Cuisine In This Country, So I Grew Up In The Kitchen. My Mom, Zarela Martinez, Was By Far My Biggest Influence And Inspiration - And Toughest Critic.

When I Was A Teenager, I Worked In New Orleans For A Chef Named Paul Prudhomme. That Was A Very Important Time In My Life As A Chef. I Developed My Palate And Learned A Lot. And Here I Am Now. I Specialize In Modern Mexican And Contemporary Latin Cuisines.

My Biggest Challenge Is Cooking Traditional French Dishes, Which Usually Require Very Specific Techniques And Methods. That’s Just Not My Style... I Cook From The Soul.

Latin Food Suffers Like Chinese. You Can Do Marginal Chinese And Be Successful. You Can Do Crappy Mexican And Be Packed.