When I first started cooking, I experimented with recipes that I read in magazines and I listened to the details as people in my neighborhood described how they made some of their favorite dishes. The foods we ate growing up in my neighborhood in San Miguel de Allende were usually traditional dishes everybody enjoyed making because they were so good and not very difficult to make. Almost everyday my mom prepared something savory and homey such as pork chops, golden fried, then stewed with salsas - sometimes made with toasted dried chiles and grilled tomatillos or with fresh chiles and tomatoes. From time to time she would create a beef stew with different kinds of vegetables and garbanzo beans. We always complemented our foods with traditional salsas de molcajete (mortar and pestle ground) and fresh, handmade corn tortillas. For special treats or "dias de antojo" (those days when you want to fulfill your craving for something extra special) we ate chiles rellenos, seafood stews, grilled fish, mole poblano, pipian or other more labor-intensive, complex foods. Weekends featured tacos, enchiladas and tostadas purchased from neighborhood vendors.

When I arrived in the United States in 1984, I wanted to follow the family tradition of making a living through food. Recalling fond memories of my parents' small grocery store in Mexico, I considered opening a grocery store with my partner at the time. Since all our friends liked my cooking, he suggested we start a catering company instead, and that was what we set our minds to do! We started cooking traditional Mexican dishes from our little kitchen in Berkeley and used our Volvo to transport enough food and equipment for parties of 30 to 50 people. It was intensely hard work, but our efforts paid off. The business grew into a very successful restaurant.

I now live in Oakland, California. Life is good here. I love the food in the Bay Area and cherish the land for its generosity and beauty. Having the opportunity to enjoy all kinds of cuisines has given me a great deal of inspiration in cooking. What I love most about this area is the availability of the freshest and best of ingredients, especially fruits and vegetables, always changing with the season, always interesting and delicious! My style of cooking is influenced by my surroundings and grounded in an approach of freshness and careful preparation. I honor tradition and authenticity. I also pay close attention to cooking everything to just the right degree of doneness so that the flavors and textures remain intact. I make sure that all the elements in my cooking are of the best quality attainable and treat all the ingredients I use with much respect and gratitude.

The flavors in my cooking come from corn, tomatoes, tomatillos, chocolate, vanilla and both dried and fresh chiles, which I use as bases for sauces that are intense, savory and delicious, with just the right amount of heat. I take full advantage of the freshest fruits and vegetables according to the season and I'm always searching for interesting, different ingredients.

So, if you'd like to discover more about the cuisine of Mexico, its people and traditions, I encourage you to learn as much as you can about that wonderful country. Hopefully, this web site will serve as an inspiration for you. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or suggestions. I would love to hear from you.

Buen Provecho
gaytan@earthlink.net