el Restaurante Digital Edition JanFebMar 2023

If you don’t live or do business in New Mexico, you might not have heard about Green Chile Cheeseburgers — or at least how crazy popular they are in the state known as The Land of Enchantment. There’s even an annual Green Chile Cheeseburger Smackdown, a competition that’s been held every year since 2013 in Santa Fe.

As Douglas Merriam, the photographer whose picture of the Green Chile Cheeseburger from The Skillet in Las Vegas, New Mexico, told me: “They’re extremely popular, one of the most popular items on a lot of menus…I think restaurants outside of New Mexico would do great with them!”

In this issue’s cover story “Betting on Burgers” that begins on page 18, writer Annelise Kelly brings an enchanting story about mouthwatering renditions of that New Mexican classic. You’ll discover how restaurants are using chiles, avocados, guacamole, salsas, seasoned mayo, chile powder, Hispanic quesos and more to take burgers served on buns, fry bread, and even tortillas from the simple to the sublime.

On the pages that follow, Publisher Ed Avis presents an analysis of how multi-unit Mexican restaurants are striving for the 100-location milestone, and explores how chefs are making elotes fine-dining-worthy with ingredients like tortilla ash, and crema made with lobster stock, heavy whipping cream, chipotle, fresh masa and lime juice.

In our At the Bar feature, columnist Elyse Glickman explains why keeping vodka on hand to craft cocktails is a good business move even if you rely heavily on tequila and mezcal. And in “Catering Success,” we present a shortened version of the comprehensive content about catering from our first-ever issue of el Restaurante+, our digital-only supplement available at elrestaurante.com

Happy reading…and happy (almost) spring!

Ed Avis

PUBLISHER

Kathleen Furore EDITOR

Ala Ennes ART DIRECTOR

Elyse Glickman, Annelise Kelly

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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Published by Maiden Name Press, LLC Volume 26, Number 1 el Restaurante (formerly el Restaurante Mexicano) (ISSN 1091-5885) is published five times a year by Maiden Name Press, LLC 1317 W. Belden Ave., Chicago, IL 60614 el Restaurante is distributed by subscription at the cost of $40. All contents copyright© 2023 Maiden Name Press, LLC. Nothing in this issue may be reproduced in any form without publisher’s consent.

Kathleen Furore, editor

THE R EAL

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“Luis is amazing, he manages his restaurant with ease, has respect from all his team, and cares for each and every one of them,” wrote Katie Gerig, the restaurant’s catering event manager, when she nominated Luis. “Our French Quarter location is a well-oiled machine because of his skill and management style and oversight. We are lucky to have him!”

Or consider Celina Jimenez, second place winner in 2021. For about three years she worked several positions at Joselito’s Mexican Food in Tujunga, California, before being asked to make the jump to general manager. She handled it masterfully.

MANAGER OF THE YEAR CONTEST: Do You Have a Manager Like Luis or Celina?

2023

A good restaurant manager is essential to any restaurant’s success, but rarely do they get the recognition they deserve.

The 8th Annual el Restaurante Manager of the Year Contest, sponsored by Jarritos, aims to put the spotlight on the best managers of Mexican/Latin restaurants in the United States.

Take Luis Solano, first place winner in 2022. He mastered all of the jobs at Felipe’s Taqueria in New Orleans within three years and was named general manager of the French Quarter location in 2021.

“What impressed me the most about Celina early on was how well she gets it,” wrote Jose Grijalva, the restaurant’s owner, in his nomination form. “She understands the business in her heart and knows what it takes to keep it successful. Celina can jump in at the bar, wash dishes, prep food, plate food, and that does not even begin to mention her skill in the front of house. Customers love Celina and she knows everyone’s names.”

Do you have a manager like Luis or Celina? If so, let them know you recognize them by entering them in the 2023 el Restaurante Manager of the Year Contest. There is no charge, and completing the application just takes a few minutes. The top three candidates receive cash prizes and will be profiled in the November/December issue of el Restaurante, and every nominated manager receives a beautiful certificate! Don’t wait— nominations are now being accepted at www.elrestaurante.com/2023-manager-contest.

Submit Your Favorite Salsa Recipe — We’ll Recognize the BEST

Many customers consider an excellent salsa essential to a good dining experience. We want to find the best salsa recipes in the country — so in partnership of Sammic, we are reintroducing the famous

el Restaurante Sassiest Salsa Contest.

Entering the contest is easy, and the prizes make it worthwhile: The first place winner will receive a Sammic XM-52 Immersion Blender, the ultimate tool for mixing salsa! And the top three winners will win a cash prize: $750, $500 and $250, respectively. We’ll even feature all winning recipes in our Recipe-of-the-Week email program and publish them in the November/December print edition of el Restaurante

“We know how important

great salsa is to a Mexican restaurant, and we are happy to support a contest that encourages chefs to create new salsa recipes,” says Neal Pearlman, sales director, North America, for Sammic. “And we know that Sammic immersion blenders are an essential tool for restaurants making their own salsa, so offering one as a prize for this contest made sense.”

To enter the contest, complete the form at www. elrestaurante.com/2023salsa-contest. The deadline is August 18, 2023. Your recipe

must be an original creation. The recipes will be judged by experienced chefs and the winners will be announced in September. And remember: We’ll publish the winners, so don’t submit a recipe you want to keep secret. Good luck!

GREAT SHOWING FOR MEXICAN/ LATIN RESTAURANTS

If there’s been any doubt that Mexican/Latin cuisine has come of age and is holding its own with the best of the best in myriad categories, one look at the list of restaurants chosen as James Beard Awards semifinalists and included on Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat list for 2023 will quell that doubt! el Restaurante congratulates them all!

Carlos Salgado, Taco María, Costa Mesa, CA

Best Chef: Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH)

Diana Dávila Boldin, Mi Tocaya Antojería, Chicago

Norberto Garita, El Barzon, Detroit

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic (DC, DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)

Dionicio Jiménez, Cantina La Martina, Philadelphia

Omar R odriguez, Oyamel Cocina Mexicana, Washington, D.C.

Outstanding Restaurateur

Johnna Hayes and Debra Zinke, 3 Sirens Restaurant Group (including Holé Molé), Tulsa, OK

Michael Reginbogin and Jason Berry, KNEAD Hospitality + Design (including MI VIDA), Washington, D.C.

Outstanding Chef

Dana Rodriguez, Super Mega Bien, Denver

Silvana Salcido Esparza, Barrio Café, Phoenix, AZ

David Vargas, Vida Cantina, Portsmouth, NH

Chef Junior Borges, Meridian Dallas

Outstanding Restaurant

Presented by Acqua Panna®

Natural Spring Water

La Condesa, Austin, TX

Mita’s, Cincinnati

Emerging Chef Presented by S.Pellegrino® Sparkling

Natural Mineral Water

Victoria Elizondo, Cochinita & Co., Houston

Julio Her nandez, Maiz de la Vida, Nashville, TN

Amado Lopez, Casa Amado

Taqueria, Berkley, MI

Akino West, Rosie’s, Miami

Best New Restaurant

Causa, Washington, D.C. Don Artemio, Fort Worth, TX

Tatemó, Houston

O utstanding Bakery

Buena Gente Cuban Bakery, Decatur, GA

La Casita Bakeshop, Richardson, TX

Yoli Tortilleria, Kansas City, MO

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker

Manuel and Jesús Brazón, Caracas Bakery, Doral, FL

Mariela Camacho, Comadre Panadería, Austin, TX

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program

FRIDA Southwest, Oklahoma City

Suerte, Austin

Outstanding Bar

Salud Cerveceria, Charlotte, NC

Best Chefs Presented by Capital One (by region)

Best Chef: California

Rocio Camacho, Rocio’s Mexican Kitchen, Bell Gardens, CA

Val M. Cantu, Californios, San Francisco

Gilberto Cetina Jr., Holbox, Los Angeles

Best Chef: Midwest (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)

Gregory León, Amilinda, Milwaukee

Best Chef: Mountain (CO, ID, MT, UT, WY)

Salvador Alamilla, Amano, Caldwell, ID

Jose Avila, La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal, Denver

M ichael Diaz de Leon, BRUTØ, Denver

B est Chef: New York State Giovanni Cervantes, Taqueria Ramírez, Brooklyn, NY

Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)

Dayna Lee-Márquez, Comal 864, Greenville, SC

Best Chef: South (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS, PR)

Ana Castro, Lengua Madre, New Orleans

R afael Rios, Yeyo’s El Alma de Mexico, Bentonville, AR

Francis Guzmán, Vianda San Juan, Puerto Rico

Natalia Vallejo, Cocina al Fondo, San Juan, PR

Best Chef: Southwest (AZ, NM, NV, OK)

Rene Andrade and Roberto Centeno, Bacanora, Phoenix

Wendy Garcia, Tumerico, Tucson, AZ

Fernando Hernández, Testal, Phoenix

Luis and Berenice Medina, El Chile Toreado, Santa Fe, NM

Best Chef: Texas

Olivia López and Jonathan Percival, Molino Olōyō, Dallas

Enr ique Lozano, El Charlatan, Socorro, TX

Emiliano M arentes, ELEMI, El Paso, TX

Ana Liz Pulido, Ana Liz Taqueria, Mission, TX

Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman, José, Dallas

R egino Rojas, Revolver Taco Lounge, Dallas

YELP’S TOP 100 PLACES TO EAT

Tumerico, Houston

Chellas Arepa Kitchen, Lancaster, PA

Rajas con Crema, Maywood, CA

Buendia Breakfast & Lunch

Cafe, Tucson, AZ

XOchimilco Mexican Restaurant, Chicago

La Condesa Eatery, Reno, NV

Mike’s Red Tacos, San Diego

Cocina Madrigal, Phoenix

Lord Empanada, Monrovia, CA

Buena Gente Cuban Bakery, Decatur, GA

West Coast Taco Bar, Sacramento, CA

Bocata Arepa Bar, Glen Allen, VA

La Cabaña, Seattle

Guava Tree Cafe, Albuquerque, NM

Corazon Taste of Mexico, Brea, CA

Taqueria El Amigo, Waltham, MA

La Reforma Brewery, Albuquerque, NM

2023 James Beard Awards

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

New Latino Trade Show Coming in May

THE ANTOJO INDUSTRY TRADE EXPO , a new trade show serving the Latino foodservice, retail and street vendor industries, is gaining steam. The event, scheduled for May 9-10, 2023 at the Pasadena Convention Center in Los Angeles, has already attracted a long list of must-see exhibitors, according to Eric Jurado, who organized the event and was behind the successful Cocina Sabrosa Trade Expo in Long Beach in 2021.

In addition the trade show, the event will include seminars on how to operate a business profitably and successfully. Also, many exhibitors will sample products so attendees can “see, touch, smell, or taste” before buying.

“The Antojo Industry Trade Expo is the perfect business trade event for our association members to come and network with food, beverage, service providers, and equipment manufacturers all in one place,” says Lilly Rocha, executive director of the Latino Restaurant Association.

The event will kick off on May 9 with Bienvenidos Café Con Pan one hour before the doors open for the trade show. This pre-event will bring exhibitors and buyers together to celebrate the opening ceremonies. During this event Chef Juan J. Sanjuan III, owner of Gloria’s Restaurant & Bar in Huntington Park, California, will share his perspective on the cultural importance of providing authentic Mexican food. Sanjuan is also the creator of a custom made-to-order ceviche bar, co-chef of Cooking Con el Corazon, and CEO of Chefs Supporting Chefs, a non-profit he developed during the pandemic.

“I am excited to be a part of the 2023 Antojo Industry Trade Expo’s opening event,” Sanjuan says. “I see the value the expo brings to Latino industry for business owners who want to take their restaurant, taqueria, and mercado to the next level.”

At the close of the first day, all exhibitors and attendees will be invited to the ANTOJO FESTEJO event and enjoy cervezas, botanas and musica while networking in a festive Latino atmosphere.

M embers of the foodservice and retail industries representing all types of restaurants, markets, street vendors, food trucks, taquerias, carnicerias, panaderias, and more can source new products and services to drive more sales and save money by attending. You can pre-register at no cost to attend by visiting antojoindustry.com/register-to-attend/. If you are interested in exhibiting, email Eric Jurado at ericj@antojoindustry.com or call 1-714-914-4012

Chef Juan J. Sanjuan III, owner of Gloria’s Restaurant & Bar in Huntington Park, California

DEEP ROOTS, AUTHENTIC FLAVOR

Our portfolio of Latin foods sourced for authentic taste and flavor. Contigo® offers many diverse flavors that vary from Mexico and the Caribbean to Central and South America.

And the Survey Says… About Half of Mexican Restaurants Content with Third-Party Delivery

MEXICAN RESTAURANT OWNERS ARE DIVIDED ALMOST EVENLY on their feelings about third-party delivery services, according to an el Restaurante reader survey conducted in October 2022. Forty-three percent of respondents said they are “reasonably satisfied” with their service and 10 percent said they are “totally satisfied.” However, 23 percent are “somewhat dissatisfied” and an equal number are “very unhappy.”

Vince Deuschel, director of operations for JTP Restaurants, the parent of Mad Dog & Beans Mexican Cantina in New York City, is one of the “somewhat dissatisfied” respondents.

“Delivery platforms seem to be universally bad,” Deuschel says. “They often refer to themselves as our partners; they are anything but. The credits they issue their customers are

never run past us. We have found them so focused on giving their customers what they want that restaurateurs are never consulted about the legitimacy of customer claims. We lose much revenue that way.”

The most-used delivery service among survey respondents is DoorDash, which carries orders for 44 percent of them. UberEats is next with 32 percent, followed by GrubHub with 26 percent.

The third-party services are not universally beloved, but delivery is an essential tool for Mexican restaurants. A question in a September 2022 survey conducted by restaurant technology provider Popmenu asked what cuisine consumers always order out rather than cook at home. The number one response? Mexican.

Catering, Happy Hours, Tech and Craft Beer Focus of Upcoming Webinars

LOOKING FOR AN INTERACTIVE WAY TO LEARN ABOUT SOME ESSENTIAL MEXICAN RESTAURANT TOPICS ? Then plan on attending one or more of the four upcoming el Restaurante webinars, all free to el Restaurante readers. Each webinar will be led by el Restaurante editorial staff and experts, and will include time for questions at the end.

• Successful Catering for a Mexican Restaurant. This webinar will help attendees develop and grow their catering business. Learn how to create your catering menu, set prices, and execute effectively.

FEBRUARY 16, 10 A.M. CENTRAL

• Profiting with Happy Hours. Happy hours have made a comeback since Covid, and Mexican/ Latin restaurants should be profiting from the trend. Learn how to set your happy hour prices, generate excitement, and manage crowds.

MAY 4, 10 A.M. CENTRAL .

• Technology: Succeeding with Restaurant Apps. The manager/owner of a modern restaurant needs to understand how apps can increase business. This webinar will touch on the basics of delivery apps, loyalty apps, menu apps and other online tools.

JUNE 29, 10 A.M. CENTRAL

• Growing Your Craft Beer Sales. Craft beer can be a highly profitable addition to a Mexican/ Latin bar, especially if the brews are chosen to match the cuisine. This webinar will introduce attendees to a variety of Latin-inspired craft beers and demonstrate how they can be best paired with menu items.

SEPTEMBER 28, 10 A.M. CENTRAL .

Learn more and register for all webinars at www.elrestaurante.com

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Sabores de Mexico

FILLS THE TABLES AT CHICAGO’S TECALITLAN

| BY ED AVIS | Savvy fans of Mexican cuisine know each state in that country offers its own flavors. Mexican restaurants in the U.S. often create menus that introduce customers to the unique dishes from those states. Tecalitlan Mexican Kitchen and Margarita Bar in Chicago has taken that concept one step further: It offers a multi-course dinner featuring dishes from different regions once a month.

“Our customers really love the idea, and we have learned so much about the food and culture in those states,” says Karla Garcia, who co-owns the restaurant with her brother Carlos, the restaurant’s chef.

Dubbed “Sabores de Mexico,” the program launched in March 2022 with a special Oaxacan menu, heavy on moles. Tecalitlan also covered Jalisco (they flew in the special rolls from Guadalajara to make tortas ahogada), Veracruz, Baja California Sur, Yucatan, Puebla, Guanajato, Estado de Mexico, and Nuevo Leon (which included marinated and grilled cabrito ribs).

Karla says the process begins six to eight weeks before the dinner when she researches the state and sees what cuisine it is known for. Carlos then scours his collection of cookbooks from Mexico to find appropriate dishes.

“Carlos goes through all these trials to get it just right,” Garcia says. “He did six different trials of green chorizo [for the Estado de Mexico dinner in December] until he got the flavor and consistency that he wanted.”

Carlos visits the Mexican markets in Chicago’s La Villita and Pilsen neighborhoods for some ingredients. When he’s missing a piece of equipment traditionally used to prepare a

“UNLESS YOU’RE FROM THOSE STATES OR TRAVEL THERE, YOU DON’T KNOW ABOUT THESE DISHES, SO IT’S BEEN REALLY FUN. I TELL CUSTOMERS, ‘YOU’RE TRAVELING THROUGH FOOD.’”

– KARLA GARCIA

dish, he makes do with something more common. “We don’t have a hole in the ground to cook barbacoa,” Karla laughs, “so we used a Dutch oven.”

A collaboration with Casa Humilde Cerveceria, a Chicago brewery that focuses on beer with a Mexican twist, provides the beverages. The owners, says Karla, jumped at the chance to provide a different beer for each course. The Garcias host a tasting for the Casa Humilde owners a few days before each event and decide which brews pair best with each course. Similarly, Karla works with Los 3 Garcias Tequila company, owned by relatives in Mexico, to create special cocktails for the food and drink pairings. Guests can choose the cocktail or the beer for each course.

To emphasize that each month features food from a different Mexican state, the Garcias’ graphic designer, Sheryl Mercedes, created a faux Mexican passport with spaces for stamps for each state. Mercedes also created an appropriate stamp for each experience. Customers who attended every event in 2022 — and thus filled up their passport — received a $50 gift card.

Dinners planned so far for 2023 include Chiapas, Sonora, Hidalgo and Tabasco. One change: More vegetarian dishes. Karla says more and more customers are asking for vegetarian options, so each event in 2023 will accommodate those requests.

Sabores de Mexico’s 2022 events attracted 30 to 40 customers each month, many intrigued by the opportunity to learn about the cuisine of different regions (including a couple of customers who were planning trips to Oaxaca and Puebla and wanted to taste that cuisine). Approximately 10 customers ended the year with a full passport.

“Unless you’re from those states or travel there, you don’t know about these dishes, so it’s been really fun,” Karla says. “I tell customers, ‘You’re traveling through food.’”

“OUR CUSTOMERS REALLY LOVE THE IDEA, AND WE HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT THE FOOD AND CULTURE IN THOSE STATES.”

– KARLA GARCIA

Baja California Sur’s Cod Taco

The Yucatan’s Cochinita Pibil

Veracruz’s Picaditas

Carlos and Karla Garcia

Betting on BURGERS

Creative Latin touches transform an American comfort food classic

Green Chile Cheeseburger

The Skillet, Las Vegas, Nevada

PHOTO BY DOULAS MERRIAM

| BY ANNELISE KELLY | When

the kitchen

at The Skillet restaurant in Las Vegas, New Mexico, closes down for dinner at 9 p.m. on Thursday and Friday nights, the business of selling food doesn’t stop. With karaoke going on until the wee hours of the morning, customers need something to nosh on — and what they order in droves are the “super popular” burgers that chef-owner Isaac Sandoval makes sure he has on hand.

“During regular service hours, we have burgers fresh off the grill, but on Thursday and Friday nights I have the kitchen make them and then keep them under the heat lamp to sell late-night,” he says. It’s a successful approach to a post-dinner menu: The Skillet sells between 30 and 50 burgers by the end of each night!

“We started as a taco place…but now everyone loves the burgers!” says Sandoval, who counts the Green Chile Cheeseburger (pictured on the cover) as one of his customers’ favorites.

It’s proof that adding creative touches can transform the humble hamburger into a menu standout at Mexican- and Latinthemed restaurants.

You can swap out the standard soft bun for a chipotle bun like celebrity chef Rick Bayless did at fast casual restaurant Smashburger; use a traditional Mexican roll like a telera or bolillo; or even wrap your burger in a flour tortilla the way Sandoval did with The Charlie Boy, a rendition of his Green Chile Cheeseburger that he once entered in Edible New Mexico’s Green Chile Cheeseburger Smackdown that’s been held every year since 2013 in Santa Fe. (Sandoval’s Double Green Cheeseburger even took home The President’s Award in the 2021 contest.)

You also can trade the traditional ground beef patty for a blend with chorizo; add your own seasoning to beef, lamb or poultry;

and experiment with condiments like pico de gallo, guacamole, queso, roasted chiles, fruit salsas, and more.

From the American Southwest to Mexico to Cuba to Peru chefs have put their signature imprint on the burger. We surveyed the burger scene for the latest and greatest ways chefs are bringing Latin flavor to an American favorite.

SOUTHWESTERN FLAVOR

Green chile burgers like those at The Skillet have attained cult status in the Southwest.

“WE STARTED AS A TACO PLACE…BUT NOW EVERYONE LOVES THE BURGERS!”

– ISAAC SANDOVAL, The Skillet

Aficionados can even plan their travels to make sure they hit spots along New Mexico’s Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail for a taste of region’s iconic burgers.

One prize-winning example is the Buckhorn Burger at the Buckhorn Tavern in San Antonio, New Mexico. Accolades include the number-seven spot on GQ magazine’s list of “20 Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die.” The tavern opened its doors in 1918 and changed hands in 2019. New co-owner Stephanie Sichler observes that “in New Mexico, almost no food is finished until it has red or green chile on it. Roasted green chile has a buttery, smoky, intense flavor that adds depth to the beef’s natural flavor.”

(continued on page 22)

Add Sliders, Boost Sales

BY ANNELISE KELLY Can menuing sliders

— those popular mini versions of burgers and sandwiches — beef up your bottom line?

Chef Nathan Campbell at Salvador Molly’s in Portland, Oregon, says they can.

The restaurant — which Campbell says has “been around for like 30 years” — has always had sliders, one version made with tamarindo BBQ pork and served with mango slaw.

“Sliders are great for happy hour...[and] people like ‘em for lunchtime because they don’t feel like they’re eating a lot. They sell pretty good,” reports Campbell, who adds that sliders also are a great vehicle for trying out something new. For example, he took catfish, which he usually uses in the restaurant’s po’ boy, fried it in his fish taco beer batter, and turned his existing garlic aioli into tarter

“IN NEW MEXICO, ALMOST NO FOOD IS FINISHED UNTIL IT HAS RED OR GREEN CHILE ON IT. ROASTED GREEN CHILE HAS A BUTTERY, SMOKY, INTENSE FLAVOR THAT ADDS DEPTH TO THE BEEF’S NATURAL FLAVOR.”

– STEPHANIE SICHLER, Buckhorn Tavern

sauce with diced pickles — and presto, his popular fish slider was born.

Another fan is Andrew Cisneros, the chef at Jalea in St. Louis, Missouri, who recently opened the casual sandwich counter Sanguichitos by Brasas in Perennial Artisan Ales in St. Louis. Sliders — including a burger as well as pork belly, crab, and Peruvian rotisserie chicken salad sliders — are the main attraction.

“The slider concept came to us at Jalea because I really wanted to incorporate a sandwich for our lunch menu,” Cisneros says. “I love seafood and I wanted to introduce something similar to eating a Maine lobster roll but something original, with my Peruvian flair. We tried it with our crab filling, our lobster filling, pork belly, and it really worked with everything.”

On the current menu is a blue crab roll with smoked trout roe, which has become one of Jalea’s staples.

Choizo burgers topped with smashed California avocado are great options for a menu of Latin-inspired sliders. PHOTO COURTESY OF CALIFORNIA AVOCADO COMMISSION

Her husband, co-owner Ernie Sichler, advises operators to “keep it simple — a little salt and pepper is all you need. We grind our meat daily. This allows us to control the quality and texture of the meat. Do not overwork the meat by moving it around or pushing down on the burger while it is on the grill. Take your time, watch your temperature, and you should have a nice juicy burger at the end.” Other green chile burger spins on the Buckhorn menu include a tortilla burger topped with red or green chile, and taco burgers wrapped with corn tortillas.

At El Roi in Albuquerque, chef-owner Joshua Archuleta swaps the bun for fry bread in the Fry Bread Green Chile Cheeseburger that made the list of New Mexico Magazine’s

“20 Burgers You Need to Eat Now” and was a Green Chile Cheeseburger Smackdown contender in 2022.

At the Smoking Griddle, a food truck in Clovis, New Mexico, owner Sebastian Esquivel delivers extra zing via his cheese choices. The green chile katso burger is topped with both pepper jack and a smoked queso sauce, along with green chiles.

Another smoky swap is on the menu at the High Point Grill in Albuquerque. A Wagyu beef patty is pressed with Chimayó red chile powder, and more Chimayó dusts the melting sharp cheddar cheese layered over an extra-hot Hatch green chile.

MEXICAN TWISTS

Mexico has a thriving tradition of street food and hamburguesas, so it’s no surprise that Mexican hamburgers are a thing. Tacos and Beer is beloved in New Orleans for its Mexican burger topped with homemade chorizo and lavishly dressed with chipotle mayo and avocado as well as lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and cheese.

At Hamburguesas El Gordo in Minnesota, the menu proudly proclaims “our hamburguesas are exactly what you would find being served by street vendors in the northern part of Mexico,” with toppings including mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, ham, bacon, avocado, and pickle peppers. In Utah, Loco Burger crafts the “best Mexican burgers in Utah” by topping beef patties with ham, pork chops, bacon, or hot dogs.

PERUVIAN APPEAL

“Burgers are actually a lot more common in South America than people think, particularly in Peru. Our street food is sandwiches, like tacos are in Mexico, so you’ll see lots of food

“OUR HAMBURGUESAS ARE EXACTLY WHAT YOU WOULD FIND BEING SERVED BY STREET VENDORS IN THE NORTHERN PART OF MEXICO.” – THE MENU AT HAMBURGUESAS El Gordo

The Del Gordo Burger from Hamburguesas El Gordo

carts in Peru offering just burgers,” says Andrew Cisneros, the chef at Peruvian restaurant Jalea in St. Louis, Missouri, who recently launched Sanguichitos by Brasas, a casual sandwich counter inside Perennial Artisan Ales in St. Louis. He says the classic burger in Peru resembles a U.S. burger but is often topped with shoestring potatoes and a fried egg. At Sanguichitos by Brasas, his slider-sized Peruvian street burger starts with a seasoned beef patty slicked with a ketchup-and-mayo fry sauce, topped with smoked cheddar cheese, and piled with crispy potatoes and fried shallots.

Restaurant Jarana serves Peruvian Nikkei (Japanese-influenced) dishes in Lulu, a bar in Portland, Oregon. Chef Gary Marmanillo rotates some burgers and sliders through the menu, including the pisco smashburger with pisco aioli and caramelized onions, invented for Portland Burger Week 2022.

Peru Mix is a Peruvian chain with over a dozen locations in Colombia. Their burger gets its Peruvian twist from sarza criolla, a zingy relish of red onions and other aromatics marinated in lemon juice.

A TASTE OF THE CARIBBEAN

Caribbean-inspired Salvador Molly’s crafted a Rude Boy burger for Portland Burger Week 2022, employing a jerked beef patty topped with mango coleslaw and their house-made “sunshine and pain” hot sauce. They also offer sliders on the regular menu. (See sidebar about sliders on pages 20-21.)

Like Peruvian burgers, the hallmark of the classic Cuban burger is a pile of crispy fried shoestring potatoes on top. Chicago’s Amaru Pan-Latin Eatery & Cocktails adds that classic touch in the Frita Cubana, a seasoned grass-fed beef patty topped with queso Oaxaca, burnt garlic aioli, and the requisite potato topping.

The list of Latin-inspired burgers from the more basic to the most sublime could go on and on and on…why not take to your kitchen to create a rendition for your menu?

See recipe for Chorizo Burgers on page 55. And if you have your own creative burger recipe you’d like to share, email it to Editor Kathleen Furore at kfurore@ restmex.com

2023 MEXICAN MULTI-UNIT REPORT: Focused on the MAGIC NUMBER 100

ABOUT OUR DATA : The information that allows us to create the Top 50 Mexican Multi-Units list comes from several sources. It starts with data from restaurantdata.com, which compiles multi-unit information year around. In many cases, we further refine the data by visiting the multi-units’ websites, reviewing their press or investors’ material, and talking with company representatives. The numbers are not 100 percent accurate — chains open and close locations constantly — but we believe they are the most accurate available.

BY

ED AVIS

The world of muti-unit Mexican restaurants can be viewed in three rough categories: The really big chains with several hundred or even thousands of locations (with Taco Bell and Chipotle at the top); a middle group with 100 or so locations; and many more with fewer than 100 locations. There is a beauty to the 100-unit threshold — it’s symbolically meaningful and it might give a multi-unit operator the critical mass to get the best supplier prices and interest from franchisees.

That magic 100 group definitely has been the focus over the past year. Six multi-units on the el Restaurante Top 50 List have either just reached that number of units or announced plans to do so in the next few years.

THE 100 CLUB

Several multi-units recently reached 100 locations, Bubbakoo’s Burritos, Chuy’s and Torchy’s Tacos among them.

Bubbakoo’s — the chain known for customizable burritos — was founded in 2008 and reached the 100-unit milestone with a location in Orange, Connecticut that opened in January 2023.

“Words cannot express how thrilled we are to be opening our 100th location,” said Paul Altero, co-founder of Bubbakoo’s Burritos, in a press release. “This is a landmark achievement that every restaurant concept dreams of reaching, and it is incredibly exciting that we’ve reached this goal after just 15 years in business.”

When el Restaurante profiled Bubbakoo’s in 2019, the restaurant had just 32 locations, but the company was stepping on the gas with 31 more on the drawing board. Despite COVID, Bubbakoo’s eventually got those units — and more — built. And they’re not stopping at 100: They’ve already opened another location since the 100th, and several more are planned for 2023.

Chuy’s, a full-service Tex-Mex restaurant that is publicly

el Restaurante

TOP 50 MEXICAN CHAINS

held (Chuy’s Holdings), reached the 100-location mark in 2018, but closed a few locations during COVID and now stands at 97. However, the company plans to open six to nine locations in 2023, so it should pass the centennial number this year. And it’s shooting for a 10 percent jump in 2024.

Most of Chuy’s new spots will be about 5,500 square feet, compared to its traditional 7,600-square-foot format. Company CFO Jon Howie explained at a restaurant industry conference that the smaller stores, which have larger patios and more drive-thru space, provide a better return and allow them to build on smaller footprints.

Torchy’s Tacos — the Austin-based fast-casual restaurant that started as a food truck in 2006 and now has locations across 11 states — jumped from 84 units in 2021 to 100 last year, and now stands at 112. Company founder and CEO Mike Rypka was quoted in Nation’s Restaurant News saying that he had planned to grow even faster, but COVID-related construction delays slowed things down. He said he hopes to grow by 10 to 15 percent a year going forward.

HEADING TOWARD 100

Now let’s consider three Mexican multi-units that have not yet achieved 100 locations but appear to be headed that way quickly.

Condado Tacos is a new entry to the Top 50 list. The chain, founded in 2014, currently has only 39 locations across the Midwest, but is growing rapidly and plans to hit 100 locations within the next few years. The company has 12 locations on the drawing board for 2023. Many of those are planned for new markets, including St. Louis, Louisville, and Birmingham, Alabama.

“We are thrilled to announce our goal to grow Condado Tacos significantly over the next few years,” said Chris Artinian, Condado Tacos president and CEO, in a press release. The release explains the restaurant’s appeal: “Condado Tacos has created its niche as a full-service restaurant company and fits perfectly into the NextGen Casual category of exciting restaurant growth concepts. Craveable and innovative tacos and margs combined with its speed of service and accuracy are major components for both Condado’s in-restaurant dining and To Go.”

Fajita Pete’s is another restaurant that appears to be headed quickly in the 100-unit direction. The company currently operates just 27 locations according to our count but signed a deal in mid-2022 with a franchisee to open five locations in Chicago. “This latest deal signing brings the total Fajita Pete’s opened plus awarded unit count to just north of 100,” according to a company press statement.

Fajita Pete’s, opened in 2008, distinguishes itself from most other Mexican/Tex-Mex establishments in that it focuses on takeout, delivery and catering. A typical location is about 1,200 square feet with just a handful of tables for instore dining. The restaurant’s current locations are in Texas,

but it has awarded franchises in at least three other states.

Finally, Velvet Taco is in the race toward the 100 mark. The company was founded in Dallas in 2011 and is known for its selection of 20 gourmet tacos and a weekly special. It has made a point of repurposing existing buildings, such as previous restaurants or gas stations, for its new locations. It added 12 locations in 2022 and plans for 13 more in 2023, which would bring its total to 55. CEO Clay Dover has said he expects to reach 100 units by 2026.

MULTI-UNITS ON THE SELLING BLOCK

Joining the 100 Club is a goal for many multi-units, but that’s not the only aim for most CEOs. Another is to sell the company when the time is right. The time apparently was right for at least three Mexican multi-units in 2022.

In August, QDOBA was sold to Butterfly Equity, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm. QDOBA has 740 locations and is third on the el Restaurante Top 50 list; it reportedly is aiming to eventually reach 2,000 locations. The company plans to open 100 to 200 new locations per year. This was not the first time QDOBA was sold; the company, founded in 1995, counts among its previous owners Apollo Global Management, Jack in the Box, and Western Growth Capital.

In December the then-owners of Fuzzy’s Taco Shop — then owned by NRD Capital Management — decided the time was right to sell. The company’s 138 units went to Dine Global Brands for $80 million. Dine also owns Applebee’s and IHOP. Fuzzy’s was founded in 2003 in Ft. Worth, Texas, and specializes in fast casual Baja-style Mexican cusiine.

Finally, in January 2023, Rusty Taco found new owners. This 35-location taco shop, founded in 2010, had been owned by Inspire Brands since 2018. But it was a small fish for Inspire, which also owns Arby’s, Sonic and Jimmy Johns. The new owner is Gala Capital, a firm that focuses on 50- to 100-unit brands.

Ed Avis is the publisher of el Restaurante.

2023

WIN A Sammic XM-52 Immersion Blender Plus $750 CASH!

Get out your salsa-making ingredients and create a unique foodservice salsa recipe you think has the consistency and flavor to wow the judges. The grand prize winner will receive a Sammic XM-52 Immersion Blender and $750. Second and third place will receive $500 and $250, respectively. Plus the top three recipes will be featured in the NovDec issue of el Restaurante.

All readers of el Restaurante are welcome to enter the contest. The recipe must be an original recipe of your own creation. There are no restrictions on the ingredients of the recipe. All recipes will be judged on taste, creativity and appropriateness for foodservice applications.

TO SUBMIT YOUR RECIPE, GO TO www.elrestaurante.com/2023-salsa-contest

Recipes must include:

1. The name of your salsa

2. The amount of salsa the recipe makes (must be in 1-to 4-cup quantities)

3. Specific instructions on how to make the salsa

All recipes must be received by midnight, August 18, 2023

By submitting the recipe in this contest you are giving permission to el Restaurante to reprint the recipe in the NovDec 2023 issue of the magazine, on the www.elrestaurante.com website, in our Recipe-of-the-Week emails, and on special recipe cards to be distributed at the Western Foodservice Expo.

sponsored by Sammic

Elevating ELOTES

| BY ED AVIS

| Elotes is basic Mexican street food, typically roasted corn smothered in a blend of butter, grated cheese and spices. But today, some Mexican restaurant chefs have added their own twists to this classic with versions that are enticing new fans. In essence, they are elevating elotes.

The elotes on the menu at Bellota in Denver is one example. Chef Manny Barella created the dish for the restaurant, which opened in 2020 in a renovated factory building on the edge of the RiNo neighborhood. Although Barella has moved on, his elotes remain.

“There are so many Mexican restaurants that we wanted to do something to stand out when we created the menu at Bellota,” Barella says. “I worked in Italian cuisine for a long time, and I wanted our elotes to be a take on risotto with a Mexican flair.”

Barella’s version starts with the basic ingredient, white corn, but includes a number of ingredients that set it apart from what’s found at street carts in Mexico City.

“I wanted it to be re-

ally creamy. When you cook risotto, you stir it a lot to release the starch in the rice,” he explains. “When we’re doing the elotes, we add a little corn starch to make it creamy, together with the cotija and lime.”

Other key ingredients include a sofrito made with shallots and garlic, thinly sliced epazote, and a touch of Mexican crema at the end.

But perhaps the most innovative ingredient is something inspired by Barella’s memories of his youth in Mexico.

“The smell of corn husks being burned in a fire is reminiscent of home for me, so we burn corn tortillas in Bellota’s open-fire oven and mix the ashes into the mayo we use for the elotes,” he explains. “If it’s done without the ashes it’s still really good, but that’s just my personal twist to the OG dish.” (Note: this ingredient is not included in the recipe found on page 55; Barella says he uses the ash from one burnt tortilla for every two cups of mayo.)

Barella says he knew his recipe was winner on the first go-round: “I did it in one take. It came out great

the first time and I said, ‘OK, what’s next?’”

Chef Diana Dávila of Mi Tocaya Antojería in Chicago — a 2023 James Beard Award semifinalist — is another elotes innovator. Since her restaurant opened in 2017, she has created several versions of the dish. An early version that featured stacked, short pieces of grilled corn on the cob slathered with butter and cotija and topped with a chicharones wheel was dubbed “sculptural” by an Eater Chicago reviewer.

Davila’s later, more decadent iteration featured crema made with lobster

“The elotes at Bellota is the proudest dish of my career. It’s so simple and common, but elevated.”

– CHEF MANNY BARELLA

stock, heavy whipping cream, chipotle, fresh masa and lime juice. The crema was applied via a squeeze bottle onto fresh grilled corn on the cob that had been brushed with clarified butter and sprinkled with queso fresco. An epazote chiffonade topped off the dish.

And then there was Davila’s MariaJuana Elote en Vaso — char-grilled corn off the cob mixed with CBDinfused butter, crema, cotija, lime/ chile salt, cilantro and chopped lobster tossed in lime mayo.

At Chicago’s Proxi, the restaurant’s international-fusion theme is evident in the Tempura Elotes, off-the-cob corn fried in Japanese tempura batter. The extra crunch from the carb-rich batter elevates the experience.

“The inspiration also comes from a corn fritter that the Japanese serve with udon noodles called kakiage,” said Chef Andrew Zimmerman in an article about the dish in the Michelin Guide. “In true elotes form, the dish is finished with mayonnaise, but to

make it unique I use Kewpie to further the Japanese spin on the dish. It’s then garnished with Grana Padano, chile, lime and chives.”

On the streets, elotes is typically a hand-held food, either served on the cob or in a cup so customers can eat on the go. Elevated elotes is definitely a more formal dish.

“When I was kid and I was leaving school or church, there would always be someone there selling elotes in a styrofoam cup,” Barella says. “But now we sell it on nice china!”

The fine china is appropriate for food this exceptional.

“The elotes at Bellota is the proudest dish of my career,” says Barella, whose resume includes stints at Solage Calistoga in Calistoga, California; Frasca in Boulder, Colorado; and Uchi in Denver. “It’s so simple and common, but elevated.”

See the recipe of Bellota’s elotes on page 55. Ed Avis is the publisher of el Restaurante.

“The smell of corn husks being burned in a fire is reminiscent of home for me, so we burn corn tortillas in Bellota’s open-fire oven and mix the ashes into the mayo we use for the elotes.” – CHEF MANNY

BARELLA

Elevando ELOTES

| BY ED AVIS | Los elotes es una comida típica popular mexicana, normalmente maíz tostado bañado con una mezcla de mantequilla, queso rallado y especias. Sin embargo, en la actualidad, algunos chefs de restaurantes mexicanos le han dado su toque personal a este clásico ofreciendo versiones que atraen a nuevos entusiastas. En resumen, han elevado el nivel de los elotes.

Los elotes que ofrece el menú de Bellota, en Denver, son un ejemplo. El chef Manny Barella elaboró el platillo para el restaurante, que abrió sus puertas en el año 2020 en un edificio industrial remodelado situado en las afueras del vecindario de RiNo. Si bien Barella ya no trabaja allí, su receta de elotes permanece.

“Existen muchos restaurantes mexicanos, así que quisimos hacer algo que sobresaliera al momento de crear el menú de Bellota”, dice Barella. “Trabajé mucho tiempo en la cocina italiana y deseaba que nuestros elotes constituyeran una versión del risotto con sabor mexicano”.

Esta versión de Barella se basa en el ingrediente básico, el maíz blanco, pero incorpora una serie de ingredien-

tes que lo distinguen de los puestos de comida de la calle en Ciudad de México.

“Quise darle una textura especialmente cremosa. Al cocinar risotto, hay que removerlo mucho para liberar el almidón del arroz”, explica. “Cuando preparamos los elotes, le añadimos un toque de almidón de maíz para darle cremosidad, junto al cotija cotija y la lima”.

Además, un sofrito a base de chalotas y ajo, epazote cortado en rodajas finas y un toque de crema mexicana son los ingredientes clave.

Sin embargo, el ingrediente más original está inspirado en los recuerdos que Barella guardaba de sus años de juventud en México.

“Al quemarse en el fuego, el aroma de las hojas de maíz me evoca mi hogar, y por eso quemamos tortillas de maíz en el horno de fuego abierto de Bellota e incorporamos las cenizas a la mayonesa que usamos para los elotes”, explica. “Si se prepara sin las cenizas aún está realmente delicioso, pero es sólo mi toque personal al platillo original”. (Nota: este ingrediente no está incluido en la receta en la página 55; Barella explica que emplea

la ceniza de una tortilla quemada por cada dos tazas de mayonesa).

Barella asegura que sabía que tenía un ganador desde el primer momento: “Lo hice de una sola vez. Quedó estupendo a la primera y me dije: ‘Bien, ¿y ahora qué sigue?”.

La chef Diana Dávila, de Mi Tocaya Antojería, en Chicago — semifinalista del Premio James Beard 2023 — es otra innovadora de los elotes. Desde la apertura de su restaurante en el año 2017, ha creado diversas versiones del platillo: una de las primeras, con trozos cortos y apilados de mazorca de maíz a la parrilla bañados

“Los elotes de Bellota representan el platillo que más satisfacción me ha dado en mi carrera. Es muy sencillo y común, pero elevado”.

– CHEF MANNY BARELLA

con mantequilla y cotija y cubiertos con una rueda de chicharones, fue considerada “escultural” por el crítico de Eater Chicago.

La última versión de Dávila, un poco más sofisticada, incorporaba una crema a base de caldo de langosta, nata para untar, chipotle, masita fresca y zumo de lima. La crema se aplicaba con una botella flexible sobre las mazorcas de maíz frescas a la parrilla, previamente untadas con mantequilla clarificada y espolvoreadas con queso fresco. Un chiffonade de epazote coronaba el platillo.

Y luego estaba el Elote en Vaso MariaJuana de Davila: mazorcas de maíz a la parrilla con mantequilla impregnada de CBD, crema, cotija, sal de lima y chile, cilantro y langosta picada mezclada con mayonesa de lima.

En el restaurante Proxi de Chicago, la fusión internacional es evidente en los Elotes Tempura, mazorcas de maíz fritas en tempura japonesa. El crujido extra del rebozado rico en carbohidratos realza la experiencia.

“Además, la inspiración surge de un buñuelo de maíz que los japoneses acompañan con fideos udon llamado kakiage”, comenta el chef

Andrew Zimmerman en un artículo sobre el platillo en la Guía Michelin. “El platillo se completa con mayonesa, pero para que sea único uso Kewpie para dar un toque japonés a la receta. A continuación, se adorna con queso grana padano, chile, lima y cebollino”.

En la calle, los elotes son un platillo típico que se lleva en la mano, ya sea servido en la mazorca o en una taza que permite a los clientes comérselo por el camino. Los elotes elevados son definitivamente un platillo un poco más formal.

“Cuando yo era niño y volvía de la escuela o de la iglesia, siempre había alguien vendiendo elotes en un vaso de unicel”, dice Barella. “Pero ahora lo servimos en una vajilla elegante”. La vajilla es lo más adecuado para una gastronomía tan excepcional.

“Los elotes de Bellota representan para mí la mayor satisfacción de mi carrera”, afirma Barella, que también ha trabajado en Solage Calistoga (California), Frasca (Boulder, Colorado) y Uchi (Denver). “Es tan sencillo y cotidiano, pero elevado”.

Consulte la receta de los elotes de Bellota en la página 55.

Ed Avis es el publisher de el Restaurante.

“El olor de las hojas de maíz que se queman en un fuego me recuerda a mi hogar, así que quemamos tortillas de maíz en el horno a fuego abierto de Bellota y mezclamos las cenizas con la mayonesa que usamos para los elotes”.

– CHEF MANNY BARELLA

Vodka A CANVAS FOR CREATIVE C OCKTAILS

| BY ELYSE GLICKMAN

| Is vodka the “little black dress” or the “plain white tee” of the bartender’s wardrobe? Is it fair to say that something is making a comeback if it never really went away? As the craft cocktail scene developed in the first two decades of this century, specific spirits — from absinthe to mezcal to small-batch gins and whiskeys — had welldefined moments. However, savvy bartenders kept vodkas on hand knowing they were can’t-miss essentials that went with pretty much everything — just like one of those plain white tees.

At the start of the craft cocktail movement 15 to 20 years ago, a decent quality vodka was everybody’s go-to on-premise spirit. But when craft cocktails led to more adventurous customers over time, the focus in Mexican and Latin restaurants shifted to higher quality iterations of native spirits like tequila, mezcal, and rum. While the pendulum is swinging back to vodka, mixologists have different opinions on the impact it will make.

“Vodka will always resurge, as it’s a category that newer bar customers

can easily enjoy. Bartenders are re-discovering it, thanks to better quality vodkas now being offered,” says John Maraffi, bartender at The Hideaway in Beverly Hills, California, who thinks consumers drove the push toward tequilas and mezcals after liquor companies educated them about and aggressively promoted those categories.

“I don’t personally think that vodka ever really went away, but I can see a trend in the more artisanal expressions of vodka right now,” says Liana Oster, head bartender for the restaurants at the NoMad London Hotel, including Side Hustle — the space dedicated to Mexican food and agave spirits. “Contrary to a lot of people’s perceptions, vodka can be quite flavorful. This aspect of the spirit is being focused on currently and will influence the market moving forward.”

Leah Fitzgerald, bar director at Salazar in Los Angeles, explains that 2000-2010 was the decade of tequila and 2010-2020 the decade of mezcal — which means vodka is primed for a comeback.

“I think vodka will always have a market, but I don’t see it making a resurgence to the same degree agave spirits have in recent years,” counters Max Reis, beverage director of Mirate in Los Angeles and

Mirame in Beverly Hills. “Craft cocktails are huge in drinking culture, as is collecting boutique spirits. Craft bartenders may stray from vodka because of its neutral nature, which is not very exciting in a

Cilantro- and serrano-infused vodka, which Leah Fitzgerald uses at Salazar, can add a kick to vodka-based margaritas and other cocktails.

culinary sense.”

However, Reis acknowledges that vodka can be part of a diversified craft cocktail menu because it works well with fruit, herb, and botanical infusions. The resurgence of classic vodka cocktails such as the espresso martini and cosmopolitan, he adds, also necessitates keeping a high-quality neutral vodka on the back bar. Reis, for example, makes the Mirate Espresso Martini with Community Vodka.

WHY VODKA, WHY NOW?

So just what’s driving the return to vodka? Mixologists say consumers’ changing lifestyles are contributing to the resurgence.

Ashlyn Dumas, food and beverage director of El Leon and the King Christian Hotel in Christiansted,

Mexican Vodkas

U.S. Virgin Islands, thinks today’s diet culture and the fact that vodka has a lower calorie count than other spirits are playing a role. Vodka’s lightness also makes for drink recipes that harmonize with El Leon’s food menu. One example: the La Isla Dorada cocktail crafted with Mutiny Vodka Roots, which is infused with ancient roots of ginger and turmeric. The brand, made from breadfruit on St. Croix, “is a great base for many different infusions that we use in our drink specials that work well with Mexican ingredients and culinary techniques,” she says.

Fitzgerald points to vodka’s alcohol content compared to tequila (40 percent ABV vs. 60 percent) as a factor driving the resurgence, while noting that a

Currently, there is not a large Mexican vodka sub-category — but a change may be on the horizon.

Oso Negro — which Ashlyn Dumas, food and beverage director of El Leon and the King Christian Hotel in Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands, describes as “a Mexican household staple that really embodies Mexican culture while offering a neutral spirit we can easily incorporate into our cocktails” — is one Mexican-made vodka gaining favor with U.S. mixologists.

Villa Lobos, a vodka that contains the worm of the agave plant, is one Leah Fitzgerald, bar director at Salazar in Los

vodka cocktail “can provide a bright palate cleansing in between spicy food courses.”

The fact that vodka — even when made from gluten grains like wheat, barley, or rye — is considered glutenfree also means vodka cocktails work for customers who embrace a gluten-free

Angeles, says she looks forward to trying.

And then there’s Community Vodka — a product produced in America, then shipped to Mexico for water dilution, filtration, and bottling before getting shipped back to America for resale, explains Max Reis, beverage director of Mirate in Los Angeles and Mirame in Beverly Hills, California.

“They have plans to produce in Mexico in the coming years using heirloom corn, which would be great,” he says. “It would give a lot of money back to the food and beverage industry, which is awesome, although I don’t love the current carbon footprint of shipping back and forth.”

lifestyle. (It is important to note, however, that there could be hidden gluten in vodkas in which flavorings or other ingredients are added after distillation.)

Vodka also appeals to customers who might not enjoy the flavors other spirits deliver. Maraffi says vodka can replace tequila for guests who prefer a smoother or less spicy flavor profile, but notes that selecting the best options can be a balancing act.

“When you taste vodka neat, you’ll find that some have a high degree of white pepper or ginger spice that can be aggressive,” explains Maraffi. “Others can be softer and more viscous. I look for a vodka that balances the softness and has a bit of heat; that way, the vodka doesn’t vanish

(continued on page 39)

El Leon’s La Isla Dorada

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

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• Cover Story: Tomatillos

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them!

• SPRING 2023: Cocktails

• SUMMER 2023: Technology

• FALL 2023: Wine and Beer

in a cocktail.”

Oster believes that at least one high-quality vodka is good to have on hand because it can be mixed and matched with a variety of mixers, fruits, and other ingredients. The Genmaicha Elyx Vodka she uses in her La Fuga cocktail is one example.

“The first and foremost advantage to including vodka on your bar is having range,” she says. “Without it, you are limiting the ability to give customers what they want or request.”

Reis agrees, noting that Mirate and Mirame patrons who are vodka drinkers typically stay with what they know — so keeping the bar stocked with vodka ensures that those customers always feel welcome.

VETTING VODKA

Dumas notes that her bar team looks for artisanal vodkas that will add interest to its spirit list — products that might tout sustainability or unusual flavor profiles.

Reis, who gravitates to vodkas with “personality” over “smooth” variations, also cites sustainability in production as an important consideration.

Quality and flavor are top requirements Oster and her team look for when considering which vodkas to add to their spirits inventory.

“We will never put any-

thing on the back bar that we don’t personally love, and that stems all the way from the brand to the ingredients. [Vodkas we add] must pair with traditional flavors and spices found in Latin America,” Oster explains.

Fitzgerald looks for adaptability — something that “won’t overpower your cocktail because it is meant to showcase the fruit, juice, or shrub in your drink,” she says. “While I generally look for a vodka with a mostly neutral taste, I also look for somewhat of a creamy mouthfeel. Something that can stand up on its own but also be able to lend itself fully to a mixed cocktail.”

INFUSED WITH INSPIRATION

Adding flavors to the vodka they inventory is an important part of these mixologists’ approach to crafting vodka cocktails.

“We make drinks with flavor, not flavored drinks, and buying flavored vodkas has always been a no-no for me,” says Maraffi. “I love using infusions to create flavors for my beverage programs. Recently, I have made infusions with honeycomb, lemon grass, and ginger.”

“Vodka infusions can be incredible if made correctly,” adds Fitzgerald. “One of my favorite drinks [the Spicy Pineapple Vodka Margarita] is made with cilantro-infused

vodka, fresh pineapple and lime juices, and serrano peppers. It is the perfect drink to have with a highly spiced meal as it matches the heat yet is surprisingly cleansing to the palate.”

Oster also embraces infusions, which can add texture and depth of flavor to vodka cocktails. She adds that teas and herbs work well as infusion ingredients because they impart a bold flavor to the finished product.

Reis often uses vodka for infusions and bitters because it provides an excellent medium for adding natural flavor from fruit, vegetables, or botanicals without combatting the base spirit’s flavor. “We use high-proof vodka for our

house mole bitters, Mexican chile bitters, lime bitters, and orange bitters as it allows these flavorful ingredients to shine,” he says.

And Dumas embraces vodka infused with bitters in El Leon’s La Isla Dorada cocktail. Smokey Oaxacan worm salt finishes off the “crowd-favorite cocktail” the restaurant regularly runs as a special.

Introducing chiles and herbs, concludes Dumas, is crucial to creating drinks “that capture the essence of Mexican cultures within the craft cocktail scene.”

See vodka cocktail recipes on page 55. Los Angeles-based writer Elyse Glickman is the At the Bar columnist for el Restaurante

Side Hustle’s La Fuga cocktail

Un lienzo para los cocteles creativos

| POR ELYSE GLICKMAN |

¿El vodka es el “vestido negro imprescindible” o la “camiseta blanca sencilla” del guardarropa de un barman? ¿Sería justo decir que algo está de regreso si en realidad nunca desapareció? A medida que se desarrollaba el panorama de la coctelería artesanal en las dos primeras décadas de este siglo, ciertas bebidas alcohólicas tuvieron sus momentos bien definidos, yendo desde el ajenjo y el mezcal hasta las ginebras y los whiskies a pequeña escala. Sin embargo, los bármanes expertos tenían vodkas a la mano porque sabían que eran un elemento esencial que no podía faltar y que combinaba con casi todo, justamente como una de esas camisetas blancas sencillas.

Al inicio del movimiento de la coctelería artesanal hace entre 15 y 20 años, un vodka de calidad decente era la bebida alcohólica que todo el mundo prefería en los locales. No obstante, cuando la coctelería artesanal atrajo a clientes más temerarios, los restaurantes mexicanos y latinos se centraron en versiones de mayor calidad de bebidas alcohólicas autóc-

E lvodka

tonas como el tequila, el mezcal y el ron. Aunque las tendencias apuntan de nuevo al vodka, las opiniones de los cocteleros sobre el impacto que tendrá son diversas.

“El vodka siempre volverá a emerger, pues es una categoría de fácil disfrute para los clientes más nuevos de los bares. Los bármanes lo están redescubriendo gracias a que ahora se ofrecen vodkas de mejor calidad”, afirma John Maraffi, barman de The Hideaway, en Beverly Hills (California), quien cree que los consumidores optaron por los tequilas y mezcales después de que las empresas de licores los instruyeran al respecto y promocionaran febrilmente esas categorías.

“En lo personal, no creo que el vodka haya desaparecido realmente, pero sí noto una tendencia hacia expresiones más artesanales del vodka en la actualidad”, dice Liana Oster, jefa de bármanes de los restaurantes del NoMad London Hotel, incluyendo el Side Hustle, un espacio especializado en comida mexicana y los licores de maguey. “A diferencia de lo que muchos piensan, el vodka puede tener bastante sabor. Actualmente

se están enfocando en este aspecto del licor y esto tendrá influencia en el avance del mercado”.

Leah Fitzgerald, directora del bar de Salazar en Los Ángeles, explica que la década entre 2000 y 2010 fue la del tequila y la del mezcal tuvo lugar de 2010 a 2020, lo que significa que el vodka está listo para su regreso.

“Creo que el vodka siempre tendrá su mercado, pero no lo veo resurgiendo en la misma medida que lo han hecho los licores de ma-

El vodka con infusion de cilantro y serranos, que Leah Fitzgerald usa en Salazar, pueden agregar una patada a las margaritas a base de vodka y otros cócteles.

guey en los últimos años”, responde Max Reis, director de bebidas de Mírate en Los Ángeles y Mírame en Beverly Hills. “Los cocteles artesanales están muy presentes en la cultura de la bebida, al igual que la recolección de licores boutique. Los bármanes artesanales pueden desviarse del vodka debido a su naturaleza neutra, que no es muy apasionante desde el punto de vista culinario”.

Sin embargo, Reis reconoce que el vodka puede ser parte de un menú diversi-

ficado de cocteles artesanales porque se lleva bien con infusiones de frutas, hierbas y botánicas. El resurgimiento de los cocteles clásicos con vodka como el espresso martini y el cosmopolitan, agrega, también requiere guardar un vodka neutro de alta calidad detrás de la barra. Reis, por ejemplo, prepara el Mírate Espresso Martini con Community Vodka.

¿POR QUÉ EL VODKA Y POR QUÉ AHORA?

Entonces, ¿qué está impulsando el regreso del vodka? Los cocteleros afirman que el cambio en los estilos de vida de los consumidores está contribuyendo a su resurgimiento.

Ashlyn Dumas, directora de alimentos y bebidas de El León y el King Christian Hotel en Christiansted en las Islas Vírgenes de los Estados Unidos, cree que están influyendo la cultura dietética actual y el hecho de que el vodka tiene menos calorías que otras bebidas alcohólicas. La ligereza del vodka también permite que las recetas de bebidas armonicen con el menú de comida de El León. Un ejemplo es el coctel La Isla Dorada elaborado con Mutiny Vodka Roots, que tiene infusiones de raíces ancestrales de jengibre y cúrcuma. Los productos de la marca se elaboran a partir de fruta del pan en Saint Croix (Santa Cruz), “es una excelente base para muchas infusiones

Los vodkas mexicanos

Si bien no existe una gran subcategoría de vodka mexicano en la actualidad, es posible que un cambio esté a la vuelta de la esquina.

Uno de los vodkas de fabricación mexicana que está ganando adeptos entre los cocteleros estadounidenses es Oso Negro, que Ashlyn Dumas, directora de alimentos y bebidas de El León y el King Christian Hotel de Christiansted en las Islas Vírgenes de los Estados Unidos describe como “un producto mexicano básico para el hogar que realmente encarna la cultura mexicana y ofrece al mismo tiempo un licor neutro que podemos incorporar fácilmente a nuestros cocteles”.

Uno de los que está deseando probar Leah Fitzgerald, directora del bar Salazar

diferentes que usamos en nuestras bebidas especiales que combinan bien con ingredientes mexicanos y técnicas culinarias”, menciona.

Fitzgerald señala que el contenido de alcohol del vodka en comparación con el del tequila (40 % de graduación alcohólica frente al

de Los Ángeles, es Villa Lobos, un vodka que contiene el gusano de la planta del maguey.

Y luego está el Community Vodka, un producto fabricado en los Estados Unidos que se manda a México para diluirse en agua, filtrarse y embotellarse antes de regresar a Estados Unidos para su reventa, explica Max Reis, director de bebidas de Mírate, en Los Ángeles, y Mírame, en Beverly Hills, California.

“Están planeando la producción en México en los próximos años utilizando maíz autóctono, lo que sería estupendo”, afirma. “Retribuiría mucho dinero a la industria de alimentos y bebidas, lo cual es genial, aunque no estoy muy contento con la huella de carbono actual de los envíos de ida y vuelta”.

60 %) es un factor que impulsa su resurgimiento, y comenta al mismo tiempo que un coctel preparado con vodka “puede limpiar el paladar de forma estupenda entre platos de comida picante”. El hecho de que el vodka (incluso cuando se elabora a partir de granos con gluten como el trigo, la cebada o el centeno) se considere libre de gluten, también significa que los cocteles con vodka son aptos para los clientes que lleven un estilo de vida sin gluten. (No obstante, es importante tomar en cuenta que los vodkas en los que se añaden aromatizantes u otros ingredientes después de la destilación podrían contener trazas de gluten).

El vodka también atrae a clientes que no disfrutan los sabores que otras bebidas alcohólicas tienen para ofrecer. Maraffi dice que el vodka puede sustituir al tequila para los clientes que prefieren un perfil de sabor más

La Isla Dorada del El Leon

suave o menos especiado, pero señala que seleccionar las mejores opciones puede llevar al equilibrio.

“Cuando se prueba un vodka solo, se observa que algunos tienen altos niveles de pimienta blanca o jengibre picante que pueden resultar muy fuertes”, explica Maraffi. “Otros pueden ser más suaves y espesos. Yo busco un vodka equilibrado, que sea suave y a la vez un poco fuerte, de manera que el vodka no se pierda en el coctel”.

Oster cree que es bueno tener a la mano al menos un vodka de alta calidad porque se puede mezclar y combinar con una variedad de preparaciones de mezcla, frutas y otros ingredientes. “La primera y principal ventaja de incluir al vodka en la barra es su variedad”, menciona. “Sin variedad, la capacidad de ofrecerles a los clientes lo que quieren o piden se ve limitada”.

Reis está de acuerdo y señala que los clientes que beben vodka de Mírate y Mírame suelen quedarse con lo que ya conocen, por lo que mantener buenas provisiones de vodka en la barra garantiza que esos clientes siempre se sientan como en casa.

EXAMINANDO AL VODKA

Dumas señala que el equipo de su bar busca vodkas artesanales que aporten interés a su lista de licores, es decir,

productos que puedan ofrecer sostenibilidad o perfiles de sabor inusuales.

Reis, que prefiere los vodkas con “personalidad” a las variedades “suaves”, también menciona que la sostenibilidad en la producción es un aspecto importante a tomar en cuenta.

La calidad y el sabor son los principales requisitos que Oster y su equipo buscan al considerar los vodkas para su inventario de licores.

“Nunca pondremos nada detrás de la barra que no nos encante personalmente, y eso se va desde la marca hasta los ingredientes. (Los vodkas que agregamos) deben combinarse con sabores y especias tradicionales oriundas de Latinoamérica”.

Fitzgerald busca adaptabilidad, algo que “no sature el coctel porque está destinado a realzar la fruta, el jugo o el licor frutal en su bebida”, comenta. “Si bien generalmente busco un vodka con un sabor primordialmente neutro, también busco que deje una sensación algo cremosa en la boca. Algo que pueda valerse por sí mismo pero que también sirva perfectamente para un coctel mixto”.

CON INFUSIONES DE INSPIRACIÓN

Añadir sabores al vodka de su inventario es una parte importante del enfoque de estos cocteleros a la hora de

elaborar cocteles con vodka.

“Hacemos bebidas con sabor, no bebidas saborizadas, y comprar vodkas saborizados siempre ha sido un no rotundo para mí”, dice Maraffi. “Me encanta usar infusiones para crear sabores para mis proyectos de bebidas. Recientemente he hecho infusiones con panal de abeja, zacate de limón y jengibre.”

“Las infusiones de vodka pueden ser increíbles si se preparan de forma correcta”, agrega Fitzgerald. “Una de mis bebidas favoritas (la Spicy Pineapple Vodka Margarita) está hecha con vodka infundido con cilantro, jugos recién exprimidos de piña y limón y chiles serranos. Es la bebida perfecta para tomar con una comida muy picante, ya que combina con el picor y al mismo tiempo limpia el paladar de forma increíble”.

Oster también opta por las infusiones, que pueden agregar textura y profundidad de sabor a los cocteles con vodka. Agrega que los tés y las hierbas son buenos ingredientes de infusión porque imparten un sabor intenso al producto final.

Reis suele utilizar vodka para las infusiones y los bíteres, porque es un excelente medio para agregar sabor natural de frutas, verduras o productos botánicos sin aplacar el sabor del licor base. “Utilizamos vodka de

alta graduación para nuestros bíteres caseros de mole, de chile mexicano, de limón y de naranja, ya que permite que destaquen estos ingredientes llenos de sabor”, dice.

Y Dumas incorpora el vodka infundido con bíteres en el coctel La Isla Dorada de El León. La sal de gusano ahumada de Oaxaca remata el “coctel favorito del público” que el restaurante ofrece regularmente como especial.

La introducción de chiles y hierbas, concluye Dumas, es crucial para crear bebidas “que capturen la esencia de las culturas mexicanas dentro del ámbito de los cocteles artesanales”.

Consulte las fórmulas de cocteles de vodka en la página 55.

La escritora residente en Los Ángeles Elyse Glickman es columnista de En el bar para el Restaurante

La Fuga de Side Hustle

CATERING SUCCESS

How to maximize revenue from your catering operation

GETTING STARTED

Catering is a natural extension of business for most Mexican restaurants. A regular customer who loves the food asks for a large order for a birthday party or similar event — and the catering business is born.

With a little planning (deciding the menu items to offer, how much to charge, and how to accurately determine day-ofevent needs), it can become a significant part of the business.

WHAT’S ON THE MENU?

Fajitas and taco and nacho bars are the most popular items Mexican restaurants cater, el Restaurante’s survey says.

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Catering is an essential component of business for many Mexican restaurants. Those that cater earn an average of 29 percent of their income from that service, according to a January 2023 el Restaurante survey.

“Catering is a must to keep hitting the big numbers,” says John Mayes, vice president of operations and pastor at El Toro Mexican Restaurant, which has six locations in Texas. “To me it is the easiest way to grow your business and be more profitable.”

“The key for me and other caterers in Mexican food is that you run an operation that is marginal, meaning your own kitchen is used and your own people do the work,” adds Carlos Rodriguez, owner of La Cazuela in Atlanta, Georgia. You don’t need a special kitchen or special people — you don’t pay extra rent. You have zero extra overhead.”

“Ninety-nine percent of the time our catering customers want mixed fajitas,” says Tom Darmstadter II, managing partner of Pablo’s Mexican Kitchen in Richmond, Texas.

Other items are feasible as long as they stay hot and fresh during delivery and for the duration of service.

Rene Miranda, manager of Los Chamacos Mexican Cuisine in Arlington, Virginia, says mini-burritos, fried taquitos, mini-chimichangas, and gorditas are among his most popular catering items. Their size makes them ideal for casual parties or events in which attendees are walking around, while their size and texture help them stay hot and flavorful.

HOW MUCH TO CHARGE?

Once you determine the items to include, pricing comes into play. Your food costs likely will be the same as they

Catered Taco Bar from Big Star, Chicago

PHOTO COURTESY OF BIG STAR

are for in-house dishes, but your labor costs probably will be less because food won’t have to be plated in the kitchen. el Restaurante’s analysis of 45 Mexican restaurants’ catering menus revealed how those businesses charge:

• Per person (33 percent)

• Per tray, per pan, or per pound of food (18 percent)

• Package deal — a full meal for a set number of people (16 percent)

• By individual item (6 percent)

• A combination of the above (27 percent)

“The main thing you need to think about is giving peace of mind to the customer,” Rodriguez says. “If the customer says, ‘I need food for 28 people tomorrow,’ I tell them, ‘Don’t worry, if you order from me, I’ll bring everything.’”

Many owners base catering prices on their regular menu prices. Often, but not always, the restaurant’s costs for catering are lower than those for in-restaurant service, so the catering menu prices are adjusted down.

Charges for service and delivery depend on what your customer wants. Most food catered from Mexican restaurants is set up buffet style, so the only service required is delivery, set-up, and clean-up. According to the el Restaurante menu analysis, prices vary widely.

• The most common delivery charge is $35, but many offer free delivery and some charge as much as $250. In some cases that includes set-up; in other cases, it’s just delivery.

• Five of the 45 menus analyzed showed a service charge ranging from 10 percent to 25 percent of food cost.

• Three menus specified an hourly service charge for staff members to remain on-site. The lowest was $20 per hour, the highest $45 per hour, per staffer.

TAKING ORDERS

Knowing the date, time, and place of an event; the number of attendees; the kind of food and level of service desired; and any special requests is a must before you can properly prepare a catering order.

Most of Pablo’s Mexican Kitchen’s catering orders come via their website. Darmstadter tries to respond within 10 minutes. If he has questions, he follows up, gets the information he needs, then prepares and emails a formal quote to the customer. That quote, with any revisions, becomes the order.

“By that time, it is descriptive enough that there are no questions,” Darmstadter says. “It comes out as an Adobe PDF that has every instruction on it. If I happened to be out of picture on the day of the event, the kitchen manager would know everything needed — time, contact info, special requests right down to the silverware.”

Estimating the quantity of food for per-person orders is another part of the process — one that can be challenging since not everyone eats the same amount. That’s why it’s important to ask exactly who will be at an event.

“You have to make sure you have enough food,” advises Tim Castaneda, owner of Zumba Grill in Birmingham, Michigan. “Kids under 10 generally eat half as much as an adult. Older kids and teenagers will almost always take more food than they will eat by double. And if you’re feeding a high school football team or firefighters, etc., they will eat 1.5 times more than average.”

So, should the per-person rate for football players or firefighters be higher than one for 9-year-olds?

“We don’t charge differently, because the food is not the biggest thing. I just don’t want to disappoint my customers,” Rodriguez says. “If I know we’re going to feed a group of landscapers, I’ll give them a little more of something at the same price. I don’t want somebody to call me later and say, ‘Carlos, we ran out of beans.’”

Time of day and type of event are also important when

Staff at La Cazuela in Atlanta, Georgia, prepare to serve a catered event.

estimating the amount of food needed.

“The number one question I ask is, ‘What time of day?’” Darmstadter says. “If the event is at 3 in the afternoon and it’s light appetizers, we treat that differently than if it’s an event at 7 p.m. on Friday evening.”

Whatever the estimate, it is typical to require a deposit, or at least to have a credit card approved in advance.

THE BIG DAY

You’ve ordered ingredients and told kitchen staff about the event; next up is packing the food so it will stay hot, with steam release if necessary. Remember your reputation is on the line, so if a customer is ordering a simple drop-off, make sure they know how to keep the food hot and fresh.

When should you arrive? If you have been asked to set up, your timing will be different than if you are just delivering food.

“If they require us to put on tablecloths and nothing has been set up, we plan to arrive at least two or three hours in advance,” Miranda says.

“The worst thing you can do for a customer is to be late,” Rodriguez stresses. “If you get there and 40 people are already waiting for their food, they’ll be super mad…That lady will not call you again.”

Whether your staff remain on-site also depends on the customer’s request.

Darmstadter advises having a server on-site to monitor portion control for events with more than 60 attendees. “If not, people in line might put too much on their plates and throw it away,” he says. “If we’re not going to be there, I tell them they should put somebody on the line to watch.”

Also remember that every event can potentially lead to more business down the line.

“I want to make sure that the guests get the same experience that they would have if they came to the restaurant,” Darmstadter says. “One catering sale doesn’t really do much, but if someone goes, ‘This is awesome!’ and comes to the restaurant, the event was a success.”

That kind of response is what Chris Miller, culinary director of Chicago’s Big Star, believes is the best promotion for any catering operation. The popular taco-themed restaurant, with locations in the city’s Wicker Park and Wrigleyville neighborhoods, is working hard to build its catering business back to pre-pandemic levels by reminding people via social media, sales calls and emails that Big Star catering is all about quality and hospitality.

“But the best promotion is crushing an event and wowing the guests,” Miller stresses. “The guests who get to see our warm hospitality and amazing food go back and talk about us for months. They get a DIY/Build It At Home package. They book us for a birthday. The best promotion is doing the best job we can!”

For more in-depth information about catering, read our special Catering Success supplement available at www.elrestaurante.com.

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CATERING EXITOSO

Cómo maximizar los ingresos de tu servicio de catering

POR ED AVIS | El catering es una parte esencial del servicio de muchos restaurantes mexicanos. Los que ofrecen catering perciben en promedio el 29% de sus ingresos por concepto de dicho servicio, según una encuesta de enero de 2023 de el Restaurante.

“El catering es imprescindible para seguir obteniendo buenos resultados”, afirma John Mayes, vicepresidente de operaciones y pastor del restaurante mexicano El Toro, el cual cuenta con seis sucursales en Texas. “En mi opinión, es la forma más fácil de hacer crecer tu negocio y ser más rentable”.

“La clave para mí y para otros proveedores de catering de comida mexicana es que operas de forma marginal, es decir, utilizas tu propia cocina y tu propio personal hace el

trabajo”, dijo Carlos Rodriguez, propietario de La Cazuela en Atlanta. “No necesitas una cocina o personal especiales, ni pagas una renta adicional. No tienes ningún gasto adicional”.

PRIMEROS PASOS

El catering es una extensión natural del negocio para la mayoría de los restaurantes mexicanos. Un cliente habitual al que le encanta la comida hace un pedido grande para una fiesta de cumpleaños o un evento similar, y así nace el negocio del catering. Con un poco de planeación (decidir los platillos del menú que se van a ofrecer, cuánto cobrar y cómo determinar con precisión las necesidades del día del evento), puede convertirse en una parte importante del negocio.

¿QUÉ HAY EN EL MENÚ?

Las fajitas y las barras de tacos y nachos son los productos de catering más populares en los restaurantes mexicanos, según la encuesta de catering de el Restaurante.

“El 99% de las veces, nuestros clientes de catering quieren fajitas mixtas”, afirma Tom Darmstadter II, socio y gerente de Pablo’s Mexican Kitchen en Richmond, Texas.

Otras cosas sean factibles. Lo importante es que los alimentos se entreguen calientes y frescos y que puedan permanecer así durante todo el tiempo que dure el servicio.

Rene Miranda, gerente de Los Chamacos Mexican Cuisine en Arlington, Virginia, afirma que los bocadillos como mini-

Taco Bar de Big Star, Chicgo FOTO CORTESÍA DE BIG STAR

burritos, taquitos fritos, minichimichangas y gorditas son algunos de los platillos de catering más populares de Los Chamacos. El tamaño de estos productos los hace ideales para los clientes que buscan comida para una fiesta informal u otro evento en el que los asistentes se pasean y socializan, y su tamaño y textura ayudan a que se mantengan calientes y sabrosos.

¿CUÁNTO DEBES COBRAR?

Una vez que hayas determinado los elementos qué se incluirán, hay que fijar los precios. El costo de la comida será probablemente el mismo que el de los platillos del restaurante, pero el de la mano de obra probablemente será menor, ya que no habrá que emplatar los alimentos en la cocina. El análisis de el Restaurante de los menús de 45 restaurantes mexicanos reveló cómo cobra

• Por persona (33% de los menús)

• Por bandeja, por sartén o por libra de comida (18%)

• Paquetes: una comida completa para un número definido de personas (16%)

• Por producto individual (6%)

• Una combinación de las opciones anteriores (27%)

“Lo principal en lo que hay que pensar es en dar una sensación de seguridad al cliente”, explica Rodriguez. “Si el cliente me dice: ‘Necesito comida para 28 personas mañana’, le digo: ‘No se preocupe, si me hace un pedido,

se lo llevaré todo’”.

Muchos restauranteros basan los precios de sus servicios de catering en los de su menú habitual. Con frecuencia, aunque no siempre, los costos del catering son menores que los del servicio en el restaurante, por lo que los precios del menú del catering se ajustan a la baja.

Lo que cobres por el servicio dependerá de lo que quiera tu cliente. La mayor parte del catering de un restaurante mexicano es tipo buffet, y eso significa que el único servicio necesario es la entrega, la colocación de los platos y el resto de la barra del buffet, y la limpieza. Los precios de entrega y servicio varían mucho, según el análisis de menus:

• El costo de entrega más común es de $35, pero muchos ofrecen entrega gratuita y algunos cobran hasta $250. En algunos casos, eso incluye los preparativos; en otros, solo la entrega.

• Cinco de los 45 menús analizados especificaban un cargo por servicio que iba del 10% al 25% del costo de la comida.

• Tres de los menús especificaban un cargo por hora de servicio si el cliente pedía que una persona se quedara en el lugar. El más bajo era de $20 por hora y el más alto de $45 por hora, por empleado.

El personal de La Cazuela en Atlanta se prepara para servir un evento.

CÓMO TOMAR LOS PEDIDOS

Es imprescindible conocer la fecha, la hora y el lugar del evento; el número de asistentes; el tipo de comida y el nivel de servicio deseado; así como cualquier petición especial, antes de poder preparar adecuadamente un pedido de catering.

La mayoría de los pedidos de catering de Pablo’s Mexican Kitchen llegan a través de su página web. Darmstadter intenta responder en menos de 10 minutos. Si tiene preguntas, se comunica de nuevo, obtiene la información que necesita y luego prepara y envía al cliente por correo electrónico una cotización formal. Esta cotización, con revisiones, se convierte en el pedido.

“Para entonces, ya es lo bastante descriptivo como para que no haya preguntas”, explica Darmstadter. “Se traduce en un documento PDF de Adobe que contiene todas las instrucciones. Si yo no pudiera asistir el día del evento, el jefe de cocina sabría todo lo que se necesita: hora, información de contacto, solicitudes especiales y hasta los cubiertos”.

Estimar la cantidad de comida para los pedidos por persona es otra parte del proceso, algo que puede suponer un reto, ya que no todas las personas comen la misma cantidad. Por eso es importante preguntar exactamente quién asistirá al evento.

“Tienes que asegurarte de tener suficiente comida. Que nunca le falte a nadie”, aconseja Tim Castaneda, propietario de Zumba Grill en Birmingham, Michigan. “Los niños menores de 10 años suelen comer la mitad que un adulto. Los niños mayores y los adolescentes casi siempre tomarán el doble de alimentos de los que comerán. Y si se trata de comida para un equipo de futbol americano de preparatoria, bomberos, etc., comerán 1.5 veces más que el promedio”.

Entonces, ¿el precio por persona de un evento al que asisten futbolistas o bomberos debe ser mayor que el de una fiesta para niños de 9 años? Podría parecer intuitivo cobrar más, pero Rodriguez, de La Cazuela, lo desaconseja.

“No cobramos distinto, porque la comida no es lo más importante. No quiero decepcionar a mis clientes”, explica Rodriguez. “Si sé que vamos a hacer de comer para un grupo de jardineros, les daré un poco más de algo al mismo precio. No quiero que alguien me llame más tarde y me diga: ‘Carlos, nos quedamos sin frijoles’”.

Otro factor para la estimación de la cantidad es la hora del día y el tipo de evento.

“La primera pregunta que hago es: ‘¿A qué hora?’”, afirma Darmstadter. “Si el evento es a las 3 de la tarde y se trata de bocadillos ligeros, hacemos algo diferente a si se trata de un evento a las 7 de la tarde del viernes”.

Sea cual sea la cotización, lo normal es exigir un depósito o, al menos, que la forma de pago, como una tarjeta de crédito, se apruebe por adelantado.

EL GRAN DÍA

Ya ha hecho el pedido de los ingredientes y le ha avisado al personal de cocina sobre el evento; el siguiente paso es envasar la comida en recipientes que la mantengan caliente, con salida de vapor si es necesario. Recuerde que su reputación está en juego, así que, si un cliente pide que únicamente le haga la entrega, asegúrese de que sepa cómo mantener la comida caliente y fresca.

¿A qué hora debes llegar? Si te encargan instalar todo, el horario será diferente al de una simple entrega de comida.

“Si nos piden que pongamos manteles y no hay nada pre-

Los eventos escolares son oportunidas para restaurantes. Este evento fue atendido por La Cazuela.

parado, tenemos que llegar al menos con dos o tres horas de anticipación”, explica Miranda.

“Lo peor que se le puede hacer a un cliente es llegar tarde”, destaca Rodriguez. “Si llegas y ya hay 40 personas esperando su comida … esa señora no te llamará de nuevo”.

Que tu personal permanezca en el lugar también depende de lo que pida el cliente.

Darmstadter recomienda contar con un camarero in situ para supervisar el control de las raciones en eventos con más de 60 asistentes. “Si no, podría ocurrir que los primeros de la fila se sirvan demasiado y acaben tirándolo”, explica. “Si no vamos a estar allí, les digo que deben poner a alguien en la fila para que supervise”.

Ademas recuerde que cada evento puede llegar a conducir a otros negocios más adelante.

“Quiero asegurarme de que los invitados tengan la misma experiencia que tendrían si vinieran al restaurante”, dice Darmstadter. “Una venta de catering no hace una gran diferencia, pero si alguien dice: ‘¡Esto es increíble!’ y viene al restaurante, el evento fue un éxito”.

Ese tipo de respuesta es la que Chris Miller, director culinario del Big Star de Chicago, considera la mejor promoción para el servicio de catering.

El popular restaurante de tacos, con locales en los barrios de Wicker Park y Wrigleyville, se esfuerza por recuperar los niveles que tenía su servicio de catering antes de la pandemia, recordándoles a las personas a través de redes sociales, llamadas de ventas y correos electrónicos que Big Star es sinónimo de calidad y hospitalidad.

“Pero la mejor promoción es triunfar en un evento y sorprender a los invitados”, subraya Miller. “Los invitados que ven nuestra cálida hospitalidad y nuestra increíble comida hablan de nosotros durante meses. Adquieren un paquete de ‘Hazlo tú mismo’. Nos reservan para un cumpleaños. ¡La mejor promoción es hacer el mejor trabajo posible!”.

Para obtener información más detallada sobre el servicio de catering, lea nuestro suplemento especial Catering Success, disponible en www.elrestaurante.com.

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J&J Snack Foods

¡Hola! Churros™

Now you can offer customers one of today’s fastest-growing desserts with these churros that come with a variety of flavors or sweet fillings. Just air fry, deep fry or bake, then customize with your own dips, glazes, sprinkles, and drizzles for a sweet new menu offering made in just minutes. churros.com

¡Hola! Churros™ de J&J Snack Foods. Ahora puede ofrecer a los clientes uno de los postres de más rápido crecimiento en la actualidad con estos churros que vienen con una variedad de sabores o rellenos dulces. Solo fríe al aire, fríe u hornea, luego personalízalo con tus propias salsas, glaseados, rociados y lloviznas para una nueva y dulce oferta de menú hecha en solo minutos. churros.com

Mexican Sugar Skull Papel Picado Banners. Our assortment of paper banners, made by the finest papel picado artist in Mexico, includes flowers, doves, suns and fruit basket designs, plus themed designs including Day of the Dead. They’re perfect to use throughout the year in your restaurant, for special holidays like Cinco de Mayo and Day of the Dead, and for catered events. Handmade custom-cut paper banners made especially for your restaurant are also available 626-592-0480; MexicanSugarSkull@gmail.com; mexicansugarskull.com

Pancartas de papel picado de Mexican Sugar Skull. Nuestra variedad de pancartas de papel, hechas por el mejor artista de papel picado en México, incluye diseños de flores, palomas, soles y canastas de frutas, además de diseños temáticos que incluyen el Día de los Muertos. Son perfectos para usar durante todo el año en tu restaurante, para festividades especiales como el Cinco de Mayo y el Día de Muertos, y para eventos con catering. Los carteles de papel cortados a la medida hechos a mano y hechos especialmente para su restaurante también están disponibles 626-592-0480; MexicanSugarSkull@gmail.com; mexicansugarskull.com

Texican Specialty Products Tortilla Warmers We create products to keep tortilla chips warm — and now we are making sure your tortillas stay warm when you take them to customers’ tables, too! Crafted by Jose Artesano, these beautiful handmade tortilleros are made from Ocoxal, long pine needles from central Mexico’s ancient pine forests. 713-896-9924; sales@texicanspecialty.com; texicanspecialty.com

Calentadores de Tortillas de Texican Specialty Products . Creamos productos para mantener calientes los chips de tortilla, ¡y ahora nos aseguramos de que sus tortillas también se mantengan calientes cuando las lleve a la mesa de los clientes!

Elaborados por José Artesano, estos hermosos tortilleros hechos a mano están hechos de ocoxal, largas agujas de pino de los bosques de pinos milenarios del centro de México. 713-896-9924; sales@texicanspecialty.com texicanspecialty.com

All Chef Supplies — the verrines and food presentation experts since since 2007! Our large inventory of verrines, plates, and presentation products can fit any catering event — buffets, banquets and more. We ship anywhere in North America, including Alaska and Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean. We strive to provide innovation, value and exceptional service and look forward to being of service to your restaurant soon. 833-444-CHEF (2433); info@allchefsupplies. com; www.allchefsupplies.com

All Chef Supplies — ¡los expertos en presentación de platos y platos desde 2007!

Nuestro gran inventario de vasos, platos y productos de presentación se adaptan a cualquier evento de catering: buffets, banquetes y más. Realizamos envíos a cualquier parte de América del Norte, incluidos Alaska y Hawái, México y el Caribe. Nos esforzamos por brindar innovación, valor y un servicio excepcional y esperamos estar pronto al servicio de su restaurante. 833-444-CHEF (2433); info@allchefsupplies.com; www.allchefsupplies.com

Sterno SpeedHeat™. Extend your catering service to any location with Sterno’s SpeedHeat flameless food warming system. SpeedHeat employs a heat management system that allows you to bring hot food to offices, schools, stadiums, high-rises or any other location restricting the use of open flames. www.sterno.com sales@sterno.com

SpeedHeat™ de Sterno. Extienda su servicio de catering a cualquier lugar con el sistema de calentamiento de alimentos sin llama SpeedHeat de Sterno. SpeedHeat emplea un sistema de gestión del calor que le permite llevar alimentos calientes a oficinas, escuelas, estadios, rascacielos o cualquier otro lugar que restrinja el uso de llamas abiertas. www.sterno.com sales@sterno.com

Novamex Sidral Mundet®. It’s a brand refresh — just in time for Sidral Mundet’s 120-year celebration and the launch of its “From Mexico with Love” campaign that pays homage to the brand’s origins and traditional Mexican culture. Inspired by classic aguas frescas, Sidral Mundet Mexican apple soda has been a staple in traditional Mexican culture and family households for decades. sidralmundet.com

Novamex Sidral Mundet®. Es una renovación de la marca, justo a tiempo para la celebración de los 120 años de Sidral Mundet y el lanzamiento de su campaña “Desde México con amor”, que rinde homenaje a los orígenes de la marca y la cultura tradicional mexicana. Inspirado en las aguas frescas clásicas, el refresco de manzana mexicano Sidral Mundet ha sido un alimento básico en la cultura tradicional mexicana y en los hogares familiares durante décadas. sidralmundet.com

Rokz Spirit Infusions. Rokz invites you to “Infuse your Booze” with spirit infusions that add flavor to most any alcohol behind your bar. Available in Pineapple Jalapeño, Smokin’ Mary, Citrus Blueberry and more. Rimming salts also available. Restaurant and bar packaging available. sales@rokz.com; rokz.com

Infusiones de espíritu de Rokz. Rokz lo invita a “infundir su bebida” con infusiones de bebidas espirituosas que agregan sabor a la mayoría de las bebidas alcohólicas detrás de su barra. Disponible en Pineapple Jalapeño, Smokin’ Mary, Citrus Blueberry y más. Sales de borde también disponibles. Embalaje para restaurante y bar disponible. sales@rokz.com; rokz.com

Victoria™ Vicky™ Chamoy Bursting with Mexican flavors, this chamoy-flavored beer has hints of tamarind and chile, perfectly complemented by flavors of chamoy, apricot and lime — all in ready-to-drink single-serve 24-ounce cans. Facebook.com/cervezavictoriausa

Chamoy Victoria™ Vicky™ . Rebosante de sabores mexicanos, esta cerveza con sabor a chamoy tiene toques de tamarindo y chile, perfectamente complementados con sabores de chamoy, albaricoque y lima, todo en latas individuales de 24 onzas listas para beber. Facebook.com/cervezavictoriausa

Chorizo Burgers with Smashed California Avocado

Recipe from Brandon Matzek ; recipe and photo courtesy of California Avocado Commission

Makes 6 burgers

The Burgers:

1 lb. ground pork

1 lb. fresh chorizo (not cured)*

1 garlic clove, grated or minced

½ t. smoked paprika

½ t. ground cumin

½ t. kosher salt

Toasted brioche buns or cemitas, pickled red onions, cotija cheese for serving

The Smashed Avocado:

1½ ripe (but not mushy) California Avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced

Juice of ½ lime

1 t. mayo

1 T. chopped cilantro

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Add ground pork and chorizo to large bowl along with grated garlic, smoked paprika, ground cumin and salt. Quickly and gently mix ingredients with your hands just until well-combined. Don’t overmix. Form into 6 patties.

Preheat an oiled grill or skillet to mediumhigh; cook burgers until golden and charred in spots (3 to 5 minutes per side). They should be at least medium (140°F internal temperature). Let rest a few minutes before serving.

While burgers are resting, add avocados, lime juice, mayo and cilantro to a medium bowl; mash with a fork. There should still be some larger chunks of avocado in the mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve: Stack as follows: bottom bun, burger patty, smashed avocado, pickled red onions, cotija cheese, top bun.

*Fresh chorizo is also known as Mexican chorizo. Look for the style that’s just ground pork with seasonings added. Avoid really mushy, pasty chorizo in the tubes. It’s very fatty, and burgers will not hold together properly when cooked.

Chef Manny Barella’s Elotes

Created for Bellota, Denver

Makes 1 plate

The Elotes:

0.6 c. corn kernels

1/8 t. garlic, minced

1 T. shallots, minced

1 t. butter

4¾ t. epazote, thinly sliced

6 t. slurry (recipe below)

5 t. water

1 T. butter, tempered

4 t. mayo

½ lime (the juice of)

¼ c. cotija cheese

1 T. salt

The Slurry:

4½ c. water

1/3 c. cornstarch

Combine ingredients.

Sweat the shallots, garlic, and corn on medium heat with butter until cooked (about 3 to 4 minutes). Then add epazote, slurry, and water and cook until desired consistency. (I like to call it “lava” because when you slice your spoon or spatula on the bottom of the pot, it comes back together slowly). Add butter and stir as it melts; turn off heat and add mayo, lime juice, and cotija. Season with salt to taste.

Chef’s tip: Finish the elotes with morita pepper powder (which can be made with a spice grinder), dried epazote powder (made in-house), sliced serrano peppers, and Mexican crema — the way it’s done at Bellota.

La Isla Dorada

Recipe courtesy of Ashlyn Dumas, El Leon, Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands

Makes 1 cocktail

1½ oz. Mutiny Island Vodka Roots

½ oz. La Vida Mezcal

½ oz. Green Chartreuse

½ oz. simple syrup

1 oz. lime juice

Sal de Gusano, for rimming

Shake with ice in a shaker and double strain. Rim glass with Sal de Gusano. Add large ice cube. Garnish with dehydrated lime wheel.

Spicy Pineapple Vodka Margarita

Recipe courtesy of Leah Fitzgerald, Salazar, Los Angeles

Makes 1 cocktail

1½ oz. infused vodka*

¾ oz. fresh lime juice

¾ oz. simple syrup (1 part hot water/1 part granulated sugar)

¾ oz. fresh pineapple juice

Mix all ingredients in cocktail shaker. Fine strain into Margarita glass.

*Infuse a 750ml bottle of vodka with a handful of cilantro and ¼ cup of cut serrano peppers. Let sit 12 hours, then strain liquid back into the bottle.

La Fuga Cocktail

Recipe courtesy of Liana Oster, Side Hustle, NoMad Hotel, London

Makes 1 cocktail

½ oz. fresh lime juice

¾ oz. Abelha Cachaca

¾ oz. Watermelon Genmaicha (recipe below)

1 oz. Watermelon Creme Fraiche (recipe below)

1 oz. Genmaicha Elyx Vodka

¼ oz. Hibiscus tea float

1 cucumber slice

6 dashes Pernod

For garnish: Cucumber strip in glass, mint plouche, crushed black pepper. Line highball glass with cucumber strip; fill with crushed ice. Whip shake all ingredients except hibiscus tea and pour into glass. Add hibiscus tea floater; garnish with mint plouche and crushed black pepper

The Watermelon Creme Fraiche: Makes 2 liters

1000ml (approximately 1 qt.) still water

1000ml (approximately 1 qt.) creme fraiche

250g (approximately 1 c.) watermelon

Place water and watermelon into a bag and Cryovac steam at 60°C 100% humidity for 30 min. Chill in ice bath. Blend watermelon and water together with stick blender. Strain through chinois. Add equal part sugar to weight. Add creme fraiche; blend until smooth. Label and date.

The Watermelon Genmaicha: Makes 750ml

500g (approximately 2 c.) watermelon juice

5g Genmaïcha tea

500g (approximately 2 c.) white sugar

Dissolve sugar into watermelon juice. Put in Cryovac bag with tea; let steep overnight. Strain through chinois.

alaMar Kitchen & Bar

Oakland, California

CHICKEN WINGS ARE A POPULAR APPETIZER at all kinds of restaurants. Giving them a Latin twist can make them popular at Mexican/Latin-themed restaurants, too, which is something Chef Nelson German discovered when he introduced his Dominican Braised Chicken Wings (Pollo Guisado) at alaMar Kitchen & Bar in Oakland, California.

“This recipe is a family recipe for Dominican Gallina Guisada, which translates to braised hen,” German says. “I decided to do what my grandmother would do with hen and did it with wings which are fun to eat in our casual setting. They are tremendously popular as who doesn’t love wings — especially when we have our [Golden State] Warriors on our big screen!”

German goes on to explain why the wings recipe is one of his favorites.

“It brings back great memories watching my abuelita and mom cooking gallina guisada,” he says. “It’s just nostalgic for me. To this day, I still ask them to cook this dish for me every time I go visit them in New York and Florida. It’s absolutely delicious!”

Makes 4 servings

3 lbs. chicken party wings (skin on preferred)

¼ c. Maggi Seasoning (use tamari to keep it gluten free)

1 qt. chicken stock/broth (vegetable stock ok)

½ c. chopped garlic

2 small red onions, sliced

3 T. ground cumin

3 T. lemon pepper seasoning

1 T. smoked paprika

7 pitted Mezzetta green olives, chopped

½ c. tomato paste

½ c. sofrito (recipe below right)

2 oranges, zest & juice

¼ c. canola oil

¼ stick butter

Combine sofrito ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend well. Reserve 1½ cups of the sofrito for marinating the chicken wings and set the last half cup aside. In a large Ziplock bag, place the chicken wings and sofrito. Marinate for 3 hours or overnight.

When ready to cook, preheat a medium aluminum or stainless steel pan with ¼ cup oil for about 5 minutes on medium high heat. This will allow pan to heat up evenly so the chicken will not stick to pan. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 1 minute or until golden brown then turn. Lower the heat to low, then add the onions and garlic to the pan.

Sweat down the onion and garlic until soft. Now turn up the heat to high and deglaze with the Maggi Seasoning, turn chicken twice so it can absorb the seasoning.

Add the cumin, smoked paprika and lemon pepper and stock. Bring liquid to a boil and add tomato paste and reserved sofrito, stir both well until dissolved.

Add orange zest plus the juice, then the olives. Lower the heat to low and cover with lid; if there is no lid for pan then use aluminum foil. Braise chicken for 30 minutes or until preference of tenderness.

Make some rice and pan fry some sweet plantains for an added Dominican touch. Plate chicken on a platter without sauce, then add a ¼ stick of butter to sauce in pan and stir until dissolved. Pour sauce over wings and serve.

The Dominican-style Sofrito: Makes 2 cups

1 bunch cilantro, leaves and stems

12 cloves garlic

1 red onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 T. kosher salt

1 T. crushed black pepper

½ c. olive oil

Add all ingredients in a food processor and blend until mix is smooth.

Dominican Braised Chicken Wings (Pollo Guisado)