Chef Enrique Cortes at Venada Azul Mezcalaria in Morelia, Mexico
EDITOR’S NOTE: el Restaurante first met Chef Enrique Cortes in 2007 when he won first place in our inaugural Sassiest Salsa Contest for his Salsa Quemada Riques. We learned then that he had a knack not only for turning basic ingredients into an award-winning recipe, but also for turning a chance encounter into a friendship. Ours has lasted 16 years. So, it seemed only natural that we turn to him as the first chef we interviewed for Five Questions, a new feature that will appear in every issue.
Cortes — who once owned his own restaurant and has helmed kitchens at restaurants in cities including Chicago and Palm Springs — has retired his executive chef’s hat to focus his culinary talents on creating food and beverage recipes made with mezcales. “I’m traveling between California, Sonora and Michoacan,” he says. “We are working for the first time to bring mezcaleros to the north of Mexico...it’s very exciting!”
1. Where are you from originally and how did you get interested in cooking?
I’m originally from the state of Sonora, Mexico. At a young age, during high school and prep school, I lived by myself in a small studio in a dorm. [My friends and I] used to cook all the time in my own little apartment, exploring flavors and executing easy recipes from our families — things like Mexican rice, guajillo, ancho and pasilla sauces and table salsas.
After prep school, I enrolled in hospitality management school and that is where I really started enjoying cooking. I earned a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management at the UES University in Sonora, Mexico and an associate’s degree from the Scottsdale Culinary Institute [in Scottsdale, Arizona]. I moved to San Diego right after culinary school because I wanted to start working in the industry and was eager to apply all of my knowledge — and I was aware the only way was to “get my hands dirty in the kitchen” and to be as creative as I could be.
My first real job was as a saucier in a Spanish restaurant, Tapas Picasso, then as a line cook/cashier in a Mexican restaurant, Chilangos Mexican City Grill, both in San Diego. Becoming a chef was part luck and part [due to] my love for Mexican and Spanish cuisine.
2. Is there anything you wish you had known when you started out?
I didn’t know that restaurants take a lot of your time — 12 to 14 hours a day is typical. I didn’t realize that, and I think, looking back, I didn’t manage my time properly.
3. What are a few of your favorite ingredients to cook with and why?
I like cooking with guajillos, tomatillos, saffron, olive oils, and almonds to thicken sauces — especially moles. Herbs I like are cilantro, bay leaves, thyme, basil, and rosemary. I think in a lot of ways herbs, vegetables, and peppers don’t just give recipes aromas — they are very important to finding a balance of flavor and nutrients when executing a recipe.
4. What is the biggest change you’ve seen in the Mexican restaurant industry in the US over the last several years?
One of the biggest changes I have seen in the Mexican restaurant industry — at least from my point of view — is the demand for spicy dishes. I think people in general are more adventurous than ever to try a variety of peppers. The other thing is that they are enjoying a bigger variety of Margaritas made with mezcal and tequila with different fruit flavors with their meals.
5. What is the best advice someone has given you related to preparing Mexican food? And what advice you would give to chefs just starting out?
Some of the best advice I’ve been given about cooking Mexican cuisine: Make it look beautiful, be bold on flavor, pay attention to balance, know the palate of the market that you are cooking for — who are your patrons? And give soul to each dish — don’t forget its authenticity. Respecting the soul of the recipe helps with boldness and knowing your ingredients helps you balance flavor, texture and color. The philosophy of “make it look beautiful” means we use all of our senses to taste a dish: sight first, the aromas, the taste on your palate... it is presenting a whole experience to your guests.
I would say to new chefs, don’t hesitate to put the time in your restaurant and into your craft. It’s all worth it!! Get involved in your community and always give back.