Graza

Q: How do you describe yourself?

L: A functional pessimist, I usually expect the worst but enjoy solving a problem, pivoting and improvising. 

Q: Finish this sentence, cooking for me is...

L: A job I love. 

Q: How do you incorporate traditions of your family's history into your cooking?

L: Everything is intertwined with my process, memories of places I ate as a child, grandma's recipes and techniques I have learned over the years working in kitchens. They all come together very seamlessly and unconsciously. 

Q: Take us through the process of developing a new dish for the menu

L: I've always talked about how I believe limitations are good for the creative process. For example, my restaurant has a Mexican seafood concept. With those two words you are already in one room, I might steer into something more "Pan Latin" but there's a thread to be followed. After that I start thinking what's in season. What tastes the best at the moment and requires the minimum intervention from us for it to taste amazing. Then I start trying to pair that flavor with a protein or ingredient I've been trying to test. 

Q: What's one thing we can always find in your kitchen?

L: All kinds of vinegars.

Q: Who is your biggest culinary inspiration? Who are some chefs you love to follow? 

L: Biggest culinary inspirations for me is traveling and discovering new techniques, flavors and ingredients. Also cooking with and for friends and family. Love to follow what my friends are doing, they are the ones who inspire me and motivate me the most. Char Un, Phoebe Tran, Conner Updegrave, Tony Sousa, Eduardo Cuenca to name just a few. 

Q: A dish you can't stop thinking about

L: Leeks Vinaigrette from Le Crocodile, haven't stopped thinking about it since the first time I had it, love the simplicity and consistency of it. 

Q: List a breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drink spot in NYC that would make for the perfect day of eats

L: Breakfast at Apollo Bagels, lunch at Win Son Bakery, dinner at Wu's Wonton King, drinks at The Swan Room. 

Q: Do you find yourself being more of a Sizzler or a Drizzler with EVOO?

L: I am definitely a little bit of both:) 

Q: What's on the horizon for you?

L: Gearing up to open a second Ensenada location down in Miami. 

Photo Credits @starchefs & @alex.zeren