As told to Claudia Sofia Von.

I have always said that all I know is how to cook. I maintain this statement: I am merely a cook.

Life in the kitchen is not the easiest choice and many can’t stick with it; while it has a high price, it is the only life I know how to live. I was never able to see myself in an office desk, dressed up with a nice suit, holding my life inside of fancy briefcase. I was only fourteen when I got my first tattoo, but it was clear from that point forward that my path was different.

Having lived all my life in Toluca, I had to move to Mexico City to get an education. I went to Ambrosía — probably the best source of culinary education for cooks in México — and thanks to the lead of Federico López, I began to learn the extensive theories behind cooking. But when I graduated, I faced the shocking reality that many students face sooner than later: the real-world food industry is not looking for knowledgeable bachelors in gastronomy, rather the real-world industry is looking for ready-made cooks. And cooks, it seems, are not made in the classroom. Cooks are made in the kitchen.

Hopeless to find a job that could fulfill me, in clear competition with experienced cooks, I went back to Toluca and started a pastry studio, catering for different restaurants. But one day, a loyal client who owned a restaurant on Calle Francisco Murguía #402 told me that after too many years in the business, he had grown tired. The place was falling to pieces, not to say totally destroyed, but with the ease and the vision of a young guy that sees an opportunity in the face of hardship, I said: “I’ll buy it.”

The second shocking reality came when he accepted! I talked to my family and got their support. My dad resigned his job and sold everything he owned, and in 2004, we began to make my dream a reality. My family started a new adventure together with my dad as the director, my mom as the manager, my brother as the sommelier and floor manager, and me in the kitchen. We had a rough path ahead.

This adventure was my second greatest education after Ambrosía. Day by day, night by night, I learned new lessons. I learned the true value of a client that visits your restaurant for the first time and how hard is it to get him or her to come back, or to even recommend your place to a friend. Day by day, night by night, I learned the amazing value of the people that work with you and support you every day. I learned how hard is it to keep the motivation high through the challenges. After many hard steps, and many more tattoos, defying the empty days when we waited for someone — at least one person — to come into the restaurant, we finally managed to build a regular clientele. This was 2010.