If you’re not developing your craft, you’re
going nowhere.”
Richard Sandoval, chef/chairman/CEO
of New York-based Richard Sandoval
Restaurants, also makes frequent trips to
his native Mexico to filter new ideas into
his 24 restaurants in the U.S., Mexico,
Dubai and Qatar.
“I was born in Mexico, so Mexican food
is in my veins,” says Sandoval. “If you are
doing Mexican food, it’s important to go
to the country for research and go to the
markets and get a real feel for the food
and what’s happening, as opposed to
looking in a book at recipes. You want to
get your arms wrapped around it.”
Sandoval takes three or four trips each year
to visit everything from street-food vendors
to markets to high-end restaurants. “I’m
also very involved in the chef community
there. I visit to get new ideas. In our industry,
you can never stop learning.”
Cantina 1511 staff visit markets in Mexico,
exploring ingredients and getting inspiration
for new dishes.
DESTINATION CENTRAL
The staff of Cantina 1511 travels to
Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas, Guadalajara,
Mexico City, Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz and
the Yucatan frequently for research and to
cook with Mexican chefs. “I think Puebla
and Oaxaca are the richest culinary areas,”
says Scibelli. “I go to different areas to see
different styles of food. Mexican food is
much more regional than people realize.”
Before opening the first Cantina 1511
location seven years ago, Scibelli took
numerous trips to Mexico for research.
“I’m Italian, so when I wanted to open a
Mexican restaurant, I knew I needed to go
to Mexico and learn about the food.”
Today he goes once or twice a year with
his chefs. “We normally go to Mexico City,
as it’s easy to fly in and out of. It’s a great
city that reminds me a lot of New York. You
always see new stuff there. The last time
I went, we wanted to look at sandwiches,
and we went to 50 places.”
Scibelli also regularly invites chefs from
Mexico to visit his restaurants as consulting
chefs to help develop new dishes.
FS Food Group
Other chefs, such as Alvaro Marquez,
executive chef at Remington’s Restaurant,
located in the Embassy Suites McAllen in
McAllen, Texas, draw inspiration for menu
items from growing up in Mexico. Marquez
is from Reynosa, which is located right
across the border from McAllen.
Remington’s, which is an independent
restaurant specializing in steak, seafood
and Mexican food, features many menu
items inspired by food Marquez grew
up eating. “I don’t go back to visit much
now, but I draw on foods from Reynosa
and nearby Monterrey,” he says. “I put my
own ideas into the recipes. I change the
menu every three months and work with
seasonal ingredients. I also make my own
seasonings, like the authentic ones for
steak, chicken and fajitas.”
For his restaurant group, one of Sandoval’s
favorite places to visit is Oaxaca, which, he
says, has great market food. He also visits
the coastal town of Mazatlan to see what
locals are doing with seafood. Mexico City
is a must, he says. “It’s a melting pot, so
you’ll find everything there. The markets
and vendors are cutting-edge, and the
chefs are doing amazing things at the
high-end restaurants.”
FROM MEXICO TO MENUS
An authentic dish on Remington’s menu
is steak tampiquena, which features
Angus beef with fajita flavoring served
with Mexican rice, charro beans and
two chicken enchiladas. “This is a very
popular dish that was inspired by a dish
in Monterrey,” says Marquez. “I know the
original place where they make this piece
of meat, and how they season it. I went
Alvaro Marquez looks across the border to
Reynosa, his hometown, for menu inspiration
at Remington's.
