All rights reserved. Growing up in such a small town, it was difficult to dream big. Gaytan thought: "We're done for." He has decided to utilize his fame toward one cause. In 2018, chef Carlos Gaytn abruptly closed his trailblazing Mexican fine dining restaurant, Mexique, in Chicago and left the country. She is a regular contributor to English and Spanish TV stations such as Fox and Univision. On his drive over to City Hall, Gaytan prayed for leniency, hoping he could negotiate an installment plan. He also gathered young Mexican chefs and asked this all-star team to return to Chicago with him. Required fields are marked *. He doesn't remember applying for those credit cards. The older he got, the more obvious it became that he had no career prospects in the place he was born. Not anymore," Gaytan said. Gaytan grew up poor in the southern Mexican state of Guerrero. Gaytan could have jumped right back into the game after his previous closure. At the age of 20, he headed to Chicago, Illinois looking for a life change, unaware that his gastronomy and his mother's special gusto would play a crucial role in his future. I grew up with my parents. So I can do comfort food in one place, and fine dining in another.. Gaytn seems to be learning from his past. The menu is entirely shareable plates, broken into different sizes. I take advantage of my French schooling and everything Ive learned over the years. Since then, these last 17 months have been strange, joyful days for Gaytan. It will only be open three days a week and will serve an 11-course tasting menu. The result: A corn croquette, served with pork belly and salsa instead of broth.. It was a Monday. Iliamar worked on restaurant projects before and knew rescheduling a city inspection can take weeks. Church members chipped in to help the restaurant repay its $17,000 in back taxes. That concept is fairly massive. As he comes around to taste every chef's creation, he says to Gaytan "I'm very particular about al pastor, because I'm from LA.". Chef Carlos Gaytan arrived in Chicago in early 1991, quickly working his way up from pantry cook to line cook at Sheraton North Shore Hotel. That's the problem with visionaries sometimes they show up before their time. . Pages of red ink in the restaurant ledger soon turned black. He brings the escamoles directly in from Mercado de San Juan in Mexico City. Someone sent Gaytan a photoshopped picture of himself under the caption: "ARREST THIS ILLEGAL ALIEN. "If it was meant to be, we'll close our doors," he prayed. ", "This is a country I came to do good," he said. Most of the chef-contestants quickly recede back into anonymity. His family was poor and they made a living by selling her cooking in town. CHICAGO (WLS) -- It was exactly 30 years ago that a young aspiring chef from Mexico came to Chicago with nothing but a backpack and a dream. Closing Mexique still stings chef Carlos Gaytn. It will be very intimate.. By night's end, they had raised $21,000 for the church Mexique built. Pork belly will be accompanied with chicharron (pork rinds), roasted sweet plantains and Yucatn chirmol (salsa). Plates are inspired by the chefs childhood in. This Chef Left His Michelin Two-Star Restaurant to Cook the Food of His Native South India, 9 Epic Super Bowl Feasts You Can Have Delivered Right to Your Door. After all of his travels, and eating regional dishes from all over the country, Gaytan is back and has just opened Tzuco, which serves his signature combination of French-inspired techniques and Mexican flavors, in Near North. Exposure on that show doesn't translate to guaranteed success. Its wrapped in corn husks and cooked straight in the open fire, and the burning corn husks add a ton of flavor to the delicate fish. "My father used to take me hunting and it was for meat most of the time. Iliamar then explained their situation to a city official. ", "This is a country I came to do good," he said. Once he returned, he started hunting for spaces for a new concept. In their living room above the restaurant, the two dropped to their knees. Heres Why. The thing is that you have to dream big, bigger than this. Net worth, Wife, Age. Tzuco is the main restaurant, but when the full opening is complete, it will also have a 16-seat high-end spot, Tales of Carlos Gaytan, and a Mexican bakery, Panango. This can be my dream come true,Gaytan says. But he longed for the food of his youth. Tzuco is open for dinner now and will open for lunch and brunch in coming weeks. His offerings Mexican food fused with French cooking techniques reflected his cooking career. Standing in the back row, Gaytan bowed his head and raised his arms in praise. These include dishes showcasing bright ceviche preparations; the delicate flavors of shrimp, clams, octopus, and salmon; the richness of chicken tinga, pork, house-made tortilla and lentils; the zest of chile and aromatic spices; and much more. He asked his father-in-law for advice. Her brother Hiram, a medical student, offers wellness checks to families. He saw few other chefs in town, besides Rick Bayless (Topolobampo) or Priscila Satkoff (Salpicon), who attempted to serve destination Mexican. or. August 10, 2020. We are asking God to open the door." When he handed the ticket to the clerk, she said there was no record of the citation in the system. Our partnership with AFA. Gaytan's 11-year-old son, Liam, sat at the drum kit, settling into a syncopated groove; his 16-year-old daughter, Caliani, led the chorus and played guitar. We are [taking] a very talented group, from investors to chefs, he told the Mexican newspaper El Universal at the time. Gas Stoves Arent Going Anywhere at Most of Americas Top Restaurants. Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. Its like a one-man play, with food. The thing is that I dont want you kids to be like me; I want you to be better than me. Every day he gets stopped on the street by strangers, their phones already toggled to the camera function. "Top Chef" hired psychologists to consult with contestants on how to deal with their newfound celebrity. In their living room above the restaurant, the two dropped to their knees. Tom Ford. Mexique opened in May 2008. Gaytan thought: "We're done for." Once they closed on purchasing the Chicago Avenue property, the Gaytans planned to construct and open Mexique within four months. Homework time, as Gaytan puts it, is filled with emails and other computer work critical to the restaurants operations. Peeling the Styrofoam away from the cake, it was then plated with a sweet cream spiked with tequila. The minute that I closed Mexique, I had proposals all over, and people calling me, but I wasnt sure what I wanted to do,Gaytan explains. The second best result is Carlos Ortiz Gaytan age 70s in Clovis, CA. By the time he became a teenager, Gaytn had mastered the art of slaughtering and dismantling a goat. Photographer Sandy Noto followed Tzucos Executive Chef and Owner, Carlos Gaytan, around his adopted hometown of Chicago. That same week he returned to Mexico, yet promised to come back to Chicago with a different focus. "If it was meant to be, we'll close our doors," he prayed. Seven chefs from his season reunited minus the television cameras and countdown clocks to contribute a dish each for a $200-a-head benefit reception at the Union League Club. In my restaurant, we got rid of beans, guacamole, and margaritas. Then came the show, in which he placed fourth out of 17, and more important, his portrayal as the even-keeled, faithful, photogenic Latino. Gaytan helped build the church, pouring concrete and performing electrical work. Seared duck breast and duck leg confit will be paired with foie gras and mole poblano and served tetela-style, stuffed in a tortilla. Several weeks ago, Gaytan flew six contestants from the show to Chicago. Jeff Miller, then the hotel chef at the Sheraton Chicago Northbrook, remembered plucking Gaytan to his kitchen crew when one of the cooks fell ill. That was the last time Gaytan was paid to wash a dish. So Gaytan and his father hunted deer, wild turkeys and iguanas while his mother foraged from nearby fields. Log In. 2. Now, instead of being an in-the-kitchen VIP experience, its a spinoff dining concept with its own name, entrance, small kitchen and identity. Through hard work and training, he scaled up, and worked in various restaurants until he opened Mexique, a French-Mexican restaurant. Plus, get the exclusive Robb Report tote bag FREE. The 12-seat dining room has its own kitchen. People named Carlos Gaytan. The American Dream. None of the prognosticators expected Mexique to be in the mix. The cooking gene was passed down from mother to son. A year later, via a cryptic Instagram post in May 2018, Gaytn announced his return with Tzuco, which opened in September 2019 in the Gold Coast neighborhood and kicked off the chef's ambitious comeback. It seats 110 and boasts an al fresco dining option. "They definitely portrayed his passion, his love for family, country and fellow contestants," said Travis Masar, a "Top Chef" Season 11 competitor who roomed with Gaytan. Then came the show, in which he placed fourth out of 17, and more important, his portrayal as the even-keeled, faithful, photogenic Latino. "He was that father figure. For dessert, expect a take on a margarita: citrus granita, tequila, salt foam and chapulines (grasshoppers). I want to have my own small restaurant I can do my fine dining in, but fine dining is not as popular as it was before. There are 300+ professionals named "Carlos Gaytan", who use LinkedIn to exchange information, ideas, and opportunities. It is a totally Mexican project in the United States.. The nondemoninational Christian church and youth center is housed in a converted home on North Troy Street that was donated by Iliamar's mother, Iris. ", While most fan mail have been positive, Gaytan received a handful of emails from viewers condemning him for entering the country illegally. ", While most fan mail have been positive, Gaytan received a handful of emails from viewers condemning him for entering the country illegally. That represents home for me. Subscribe now and get up to 61% off the cover price. Its always been my dream to have such a small restaurant, he said. He followed that up in November 2019 with Panango, a colorful, grab-and-go panaderia or bakery. All Rights Reserved. He asked his father-in-law for advice. But he knows hes in the right place for himself right now. Carlos Gaytan. Then, already a year late opening, Mexique failed its final inspections. Imported from south of the border is Pastry Chef Jess Escalera, heralded as Latin America's Best Pastry Chef in the 2018 list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants. He was free to go. The cooking gene was passed down from mother to son. Gaytan borrowed the passport of a friend who bore a resemblance and entered the country at age 21. Not anymore," Gaytan said. Gaytan learned to cook, too, and that position led him to an 8-year-stint at the Union League Club in the Loop, then as chef de cuisine at Bistrot Margot in 2004. "He was that father figure. "This man picked up the phone and called every inspector and had them reschedule their inspection for our restaurant the following day," she said. I'm trying to be a role model for their kids. It wasn't the first time, either, that they were rescued from some seemingly inescapable predicament. Fans snapped endless photos with Gaytan and his fellow Top Chefs. Your email address will not be published. (Gaytan became a U.S. citizen in 1998 after his marriage.). In one corner of the converted living room, Gaytan's wife, Iliamar, preached in English; 10 feet away a teenage girl translated into Swahili. Don't give them the chance. On the move! Plus, truffle ice cream with vanilla cream and toffee. Chicago magazine newsletters have you covered. "She comes in the kitchen and she walks around making sure to try food, and she's like okay this good, I like that," said Gaytan. Required fields are marked *. Other dishes include escamoles (ant larvae) with epazote (an aromatic herb), avocado and blue corn tortillas. The first Mexican chef to earn a Michelin Star and a former Top Chef contestant, Gaytan is determined to serve delicious, authentic food to everyone in the Chicago communityno matter their circumstances. Gaytan didn't blame the separation from his wife for the shutter, but did make it clear that. Mexique, however, isn't Gaytan's singular focus; the restaurant is the means to an end, the end being his church. Its dinner theater. "I sat back in awe and knew whose hand was on this.". The food was a risk. Now it's been exposed tenfold to an audience of Bravo viewers who aren't necessarily dining obsessives but will visit Chicago and have Girl & The Goat and Mexique on their itinerary before Alinea. 720 N. State Street, Chicago. In Tzuco, the chef continues showcasing Mexican dishes and following recipes from his childhood. Gaytan studied under chefs who trained in the classic French school of gastronomy, and that philosophy of precision became muscle memory. Im super excited to have a lot of things on the menu.. The flavors are going to be really related to home, he said. And yet the next day, he says, those same friends returned for more. The timing of events was too neat to be random. In 2018, chef Carlos Gaytn abruptly closed his trailblazing Mexican fine dining restaurant, Mexique, in Chicago and left the country. La Casa de Dios The House of God is a family affair. In 2020, she shifted to politics and worked as a director in the Office of Public Engagement for the DNC. That kept their doors open, but business was still fading. I cook with the memories of my childhood, but I try to bring them into modernity. Sign up to our newsletter to stay in touch with your cultura. The restaurant was packed the next night. Aside from Tzuco , Gaytan also owns the restaurant "Ha" in Mexico and is on the verge of opening a third restaurant in California. At the same time, La Casa de Dios was taking root. Your email address will not be published. The cause? Mar 26, 2014 at 10:27 am. It hurt. Every dish is going to have a story behind [it]. Complete Wiki Biography of Carlos Gaytan, which contains net worth and salary earnings in 2023. Find your friends on Facebook. How else could Carlos Gaytan explain what happened 17 months ago with his West Town restaurant Mexique spiraling into debt, he and his wife, Iliamar, decided it could no longer go on. Iliamar worked on restaurant projects before and knew rescheduling a city inspection can take weeks. Soon they burned through the bank loan, and Iliamar's mother began supporting the Gaytans via her home day care. About a week later, on the morning after he and Iliamar got on their knees in the living room and prayed, Michelin called to inform them of the upgrade to one-star status. Before, he was only a semi-recognizable name among Chicago's fooderati. Diners have expanded their purview and palates. La Casa de Dios. He taught Gaytan to carve fruits and vegetables into extravagant centerpieces. Gaytan arranges for the drop-off of the various meal packages he put together for the World Central Kitchen. 1500 W Carroll Suite 200Chicago, IL 60607, Our site uses cookies. Carlos Gaytn was born in Huitzuco, a small town in Guerrero, Mexico in 1970. I can teach you the way that I get here, and I know you want to do that, but why stop right here? It is a totally Mexican project in the United States.. She would own a taqueria, where every Saturday a 14-year-old Gaytan was in charge of slaughtering and cooking a whole goat. "I sat back in awe and knew whose hand was on this.". Tzuco is one of three new restaurants opening from Carlos Gaytn. Then, already a year late opening, Mexique failed its final inspections. I didn't come here to do damage, I came here to serve." Mexique opened in May 2008. He maxed out his credit cards several months into Mexique's construction and considered halting the project altogether. Teen boy shot to death on South Side ID'd: officials, NFL player's 2-year-old daughter drowns in swimming pool, Authorities continue search for Texas man suspected of killing 5. And he began linking up with the best specialists in their respective fields: Jess Escalera, who was named Latin Americas Best Pastry Chef in 2018 by the Worlds 50 Best Restaurants; Mica Rousseau, a Mexico City-based bartender who was heralded as the countrys top mixologist in the 2016 World Class competition; and Ignacio Cadena, a contemporary restaurant designer responsible for Hueso in Guadalajara and La Leche in Puerto Vallarta. So, I got all the ingredients I remember that we used to have up there in the mountains like wild mushrooms. The Worlds 50 Best chooses a Peruvian chef as the best in the world, Brooklyn Beckham might soon have his own online cooking show, Selena Gomez invites Britney Spears to come cook with her any time. Ximena N. Beltran Quan Kiu is a writer and communication consultant with more than 10 years exploring Mexican culture and identity. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. A miracle is a coincidence you know can't be a coincidence.
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