Nobody Likes Sweaty Coleslaw.

I Was A Little, Uh, Incorrigible As A Kid, So The Kitchen Was A Good Place To Give Me Structure And Balance. It Taught Me Hard Work, But Then I Grew To Love It.

My Mother And My Grandmother Are Pioneers Of Mexican Cuisine In This Country, So I Grew Up In The Kitchen. My Mom, Zarela Martinez, Was By Far My Biggest Influence And Inspiration - And Toughest Critic.

When I Was A Teenager, I Worked In New Orleans For A Chef Named Paul Prudhomme. That Was A Very Important Time In My Life As A Chef. I Developed My Palate And Learned A Lot. And Here I Am Now. I Specialize In Modern Mexican And Contemporary Latin Cuisines.

Instead Of Going Out, I'm Trying To Encourage People To Have A Memorable Experience In Their Own Home. We Call It 'delicioso Night In.' I Invite The People I Care About The Most. Then, When I Get A Lot Of People Together, I Like To Have Finger Foods.

My Biggest Challenge Is Cooking Traditional French Dishes, Which Usually Require Very Specific Techniques And Methods. That’s Just Not My Style... I Cook From The Soul.