Chef Pablo Salas (Amaranta/Toluca), Chef Benito Molina (Manzanilla/Ensenada), Chef Javier Plascencia (Mision 19/Tijuana), and Chef Jair Téllez (MeroToro/Mexico City)
To celebrate Day of the Dead in high fashion, I've curated 4 unprecedented nights at Test Kitchen for a Test Kitchen Latino series that will feature more chefs from around Latin America in the future. This first series highlights 4 major heavyweight chefs that represent the au courant of modern cuisine--a Mexican chef event of this caliber is a first in Los Angeles.
Mexican cuisine was designated as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2010, at a time when a next wave global fascination with Mexican gastronomy and Latin-American cuisines was beginning its surge.
Come to Test Kitchen for this special series and find out why the world is buzzing about the vanguard chefs of Mexico--this is an event not to be missed.
About the chefs:
Chef Benito Molina, Thursday, November 1 at Test Kitchen
Molina is a pioneer of the Baja culinary movement ever since he relocated from Mexico City to Ensenada where he took full advantage of the high quality seafood items that weren't be used by the locals(all their best products were exclusively shipped to Japan at the time), and created a minimalist cuisine that lets the products speak for themselves. Molina is star of the hit food television series, Benito y Solange, has cooked all over the world--even for Arzak by special request--and is a top chef in Mexico. Look for creative uses of exquisite Baja ingredients presented with an international flare, yet 100% Ensenada.
Chef Pablo Salas, Friday, November 2 at Test Kitchen
Salas is part of the next generation of Mexican chefs, and is the leading figure as representative of the State of Mexico, which has an extraordinary cuisine. Salas has worked in the best kitchens in Mexico, with the best chefs, and follows the new breed of Mexican chef in favoring a study of national techniques and cuisine over the European experience of the previous generation of Mexican chefs. This Toluca native will be elevating the dishes of the State of Mexico on this night, maybe if we're lucky, his hometown's green chorizo will find its way on the menu.
Chef Jair Téllez, Saturday, November 3 at Test Kitchen
Téllez set up his now legendary country restaurant--Laja--in the Valle de Guadalupe at a time when the only cuisine was huevos rancheros paired with a scoop of Nescafe in hot water. He grew his own vegetables because he couldn't afford to buy produce that could go to waste if no one showed up. Farm to table wasn't a pretense, it was a means for survival. Now that the Valle has grown into Téllez's vision, he's moved on to open one of the hottest restaurants in Mexico City: MeroToro. Téllez has impeccable technique and precision while always bringing exciting flavors to the table. His seafood cocktail with gooseneck barnacles and sea urchin is one of the best things I ever ate.
Chef Javier Plascencia, Sunday, November 4 at Test Kitchen
Hot off the heels of winning Best New Restaurant from Travel and Leisure Mexico, Plascencia's star continues to rise on both sides of the border. Plascencia is leading Tijuana's charge into the international theater with his advocacy and singular Mision--Mision 19 that is. Plascencia is a champion of Mexico's northern cuisines: Baja California, Sinaloa, and Sonora. Regardless of innovation, Plascencia consistently brings hearty flavors to delicate plates. His night at Test Kitchen is sure to blend a bit of northern land and sea cuisines.
Test Kitchen Latino, November 1-4, 2012
Test Kitchen 2012 at Bestia
2121 E. 7th Place
Los Angeles, CA 90021
For reservations, click here
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