Chef Israel Aréchiga
By Alfredo Espinola
Many chefs say they became interested in cooking when they were children, but few can match the youthful career launch of Mexican Chef Israel Aréchiga: He was just 13 years old when he enrolled in a technical school for food and beverages in Mexico City.
“I thought that if I didn’t like it, it wouldn’t matter if I lost a year,” he recalls, since he was so young when he began. But the exact opposite happened: cooking completely captivated him.
While studying, he began surrounding himself with people who were already working professionally in restaurants and hotels. Many were simply seeking a technical degree to secure better positions or embark on international cruises. Aréchiga, however, found something much deeper: a way of life.
In 2006, at age 15, he joined Grupo Ituarte, a Mexico City-based hospitality group that specializes in Basque cuisine and is renowned for bringing the influence of figures like Juan María Arzak—one of the great names in global gastronomy and an absolute icon of the new Basque cuisine—to Mexico.
He started there as a cook; 15 years later, he became the group’s executive chef.
The Rigor of Basque Cuisine
Aréchiga’s training was built on discipline, absolute respect for the ingredients, and an obsession with technique.
During his time at Grupo Ituarte, he was sent to train in the Basque Country and France. He cooked, learned, and observed in some of the world’s most influential kitchens, including that of Martín Berasategui, holder of 12 Michelin stars and a leading figure in contemporary haute cuisine.
San Sebastián, Getaria, and Biarritz became living classrooms. That experience defined his approach to cooking: clean flavors, respect for the ingredients, and dishes that require no emotional interpretation.
“If you eat fish, it has to taste like fish. If you eat rice, it has to respect the rice,” he explains.
That philosophy remains present today in each of his projects.
From Grupo Ituarte to the Birth of the Grupo Zeru
While leading the Alaia restaurant and other Ituarte Group operations, Aréchiga was also involved from the very beginning in a restaurant called Zeru in Mexico City, an intimate space with just ten tables, focused on traditional Basque cuisine.
Over time, that project evolved into something much larger.
In 2019, when Alberto Ituarte decided to sell the Zeru restaurant, Aréchiga saw an opportunity to take the concept to a whole new level. The proposal reached Francisco Mieres, a businessman and owner of Grupo Andrade, who had always wanted to develop a restaurant with Spanish roots.
The partnership took shape.
First came Zeru San Ángel; then Zeru Lomas and Zeru Miami followed. Later, Casa Marena, Asadito de Mar, and Terra would join the lineup.
Today, Israel Aréchiga’s culinary universe spans a range of styles: from the laid-back, street-food vibe of Tacos Romita to the fine-dining experience at Terra.
Each concept has its own identity, but they all share the same root: culinary honesty.
Cuisine that Speaks for Itself
In an era where many restaurants turn the menu into an intellectual exercise, Israel takes the opposite approach: dishes that excite before they need to be explained.
“You don’t need someone to translate the dish for you to understand it,” explains Israel.
That idea runs through his entire cuisine.
At Zeru, you can find Mexican suckling pig with rice prepared using a Segovian technique, or a pork cheek slow-cooked in red wine with ancho chili aioli. Spanish tradition intertwined with Mexican ingredients, without losing clarity or identity.
At Terra, however, the rules are more flexible. There, there is room for technique, complexity, and the most refined assembly. A single ingredient like beetroot can be transformed into different textures and temperatures within the same dish.
But even amidst that sophistication, the goal remains the same: to excite.
An Approachable – and Mexican – Wine List
Although he acknowledges his deep admiration for French and Spanish wine, Israel has also made significant room for Mexican wine within his restaurants.
At Casa Marena and Terra, several domestic labels play an active role in the dining experience.
However, beyond the wine lists or pairings, there is something that particularly interests Israel: eliminating the snobbery surrounding wine.
“We want wine to be approachable, democratic,” he explains.
That’s why his sommeliers, Aisha and Arisbeth, both internationally certified, communicate in a relaxed and accessible manner. The intention is not to impress the customer with technical jargon, but to guide them.
“For someone to come in saying, ‘I don’t like wine,’ and leave having discovered a label that excites them,” says Aréchiga.
That approachability also defines places like Tacos Romita, where a glass of wine pairs naturally with a smoked marlin taco or a ribeye taco.
Because, in the end, a great taco also deserves a great wine.
Tacos Romita: the Chef’s More Relaxed Side
The Durango Taco at Tacos Romita in Mexico City
Within Aréchiga’s gastronomic universe, Tacos Romita perhaps represents his freest and most carefree facet.
Here, technique is still present, but without solemnity.
There are tuna tostadas with salsa macha and chipotle mayonnaise; tongue tostadas with pickled mustard and watercress; ribeye tacos with fries and roasted chili sauce.
One of the restaurant’s most celebrated dishes is the Durango taco, a güero chili stuffed with smoked marlin and Gouda cheese, wrapped in bacon, and served on a flour tortilla—delicious to the palate and a feast for the eyes.
Cooking to Stay Excited
After years of building restaurants, teams, and concepts, Aréchiga’s inspiration continues to come from the same place: his passion for enjoying food.
His excitement for cooking is fueled by dining with friends, discovering wines, trying new dishes, and listening to ideas from his chefs, sommeliers, and customers.
“The motivation is to keep the team excited and continue surprising people,” he says. “For now, the goal isn’t to open more restaurants at a rapid pace, but to consolidate each project and allow it to mature.”
Because behind every dish, every concept, and every kitchen, the same intention with which it all began at age 13 remains intact: to find happiness, vocation, and professionalism within the fire.
The team at Tacos Romita in Mexico City