Like this article? "It's an honor just to be here in Chicago and share everything that I know with people. Gaytan borrowed the passport of a friend who bore a resemblance and entered the country at age 21. That same week he returned to Mexico, yet promised to come back to Chicago with a different focus. Gaytan thought: "We're done for." The 40-plus members of the congregation had outgrown the converted living room, and now they're raising the $150,000 needed to build an extension. It was a Monday. Gaytan is under no illusion that success will last forever. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. Gaytan charges up with French press coffee before heading to his restaurant Tzuco, located in Chicagos Gold Coast neighborhood. The initial burst of goodwill faded as newer restaurants garnered buzz. Mexican-born Carlos Gaytan moved his way up from the back of the kitchen to Michelin Star chef and owner of the world-renowned Tzuco in Chicago. "My father used to take me hunting and it was for meat most of the time. He had a vision, and they could see it, too. So Gaytan and his father hunted deer, wild turkeys and iguanas while his mother foraged from nearby fields. Both restaurants share Carlos' fascinating life experiences through a range of authentic culinary creations. Gaytan arranges for the drop-off of the various meal packages he put together for the World Central Kitchen. But by 2015, Mexique had lost the coveted Michelin star and it would be another year before the neighborhood began to show signs of becoming the booming culinary destination it's now known as. On the day before he received news of his Michelin star in 2013, Mexique had only 11 customers and Gaytn was considering closing his restaurant. Gaytn seems to be learning from his past. They poured their savings into building Mexique. CHICAGO (WLS) -- It was exactly 30 years ago that a young aspiring chef from Mexico came to Chicago with nothing but a backpack and a dream. Pages of red ink in the restaurant ledger soon turned black. So real that people come to Tzuco from all over the world for a taste of his food. Back then, he and his parents foraged for wild ingredients, hunted game and butchered animals. He gets recognized not because of his restaurant but because he appeared on a reality cooking competition. He was free to go. A post shared by Carlos Gaytan (@chefcarlosgaytan), Mexique began in my home. Located in the up-and-coming West Town neighborhood before it was neither up nor coming, the restaurant struggled. His career began at the Sheraton North Shore Hotel as a dishwasher. Carlos Gaytan body measurments, height, weight and age details. But he knows hes in the right place for himself right now. The prospects for a young, working-class Mexican man were dim, so like many friends, Gaytan says, he allowed that seductive phrase to enter his mind: el sueno Americano. Gaytan stops by Whole Foods to pick up some beets, tomatoes, and other fresh produce for the restaurant. Gaytan made this dish on Top Chef and it's very clever. It was exactly 30 years ago that a young aspiring chef from Mexico came to Chicago with nothing but a backpack and a dream. After a short but productive foray in Mexico, hes reappeared in Chicago, where hes got an ambitious plan to open three restaurant concepts under one roof in a matter of months. On television, where people are presented as black-and-white caricatures, Gaytan's mostly favorable image might be his best take-away. Sign up to our newsletter to stay in touch with your cultura. A miracle is a coincidence you know can't be a coincidence. Its about me, he said. Throughout the restaurants prep period, he can be seen sharpening knives, sweeping floors, and (as seen here) organizing the kitchens many trays of food to ensure an efficient workflow. When Michelin gave Mexique its "Bib Gourmand" designation two years in a row a seal of approval for a good restaurant deal it bumped business in the right direction but not enough for the restaurant to get in the black. Complete Wiki Biography of Carlos Gaytan, which contains net worth and salary earnings in 2023. The thing is that I dont want you kids to be like me; I want you to be better than me. "He was my apprentice, and he took that ball and ran with it further than I was able to go," Miller said. Tom Ford. Her brother Hiram, a medical student, offers wellness checks to families. Now it's been exposed tenfold to an audience of Bravo viewers who aren't necessarily dining obsessives but will visit Chicago and have Girl & The Goat and Mexique on their itinerary before Alinea. The seed for Mexique was planted. Considering the difficult birth of his restaurant, he's happy just to stay financially afloat. Her brother Hiram, a medical student, offers wellness checks to families. Carlos Gaytan. I want to have my own small restaurant I can do my fine dining in, but fine dining is not as popular as it was before. They have also lived in Fresno, CA and Huntington Beach, CA. But since November 2012, the wild, sudden swing from near foreclosure to overflowing reservation books, he believes, is more than just good fortune. Before, he was only a semi-recognizable name among Chicago's fooderati. "I sat back in awe and knew whose hand was on this.". That word disappears for you.". The two are separate operations, but Mexique supports several church members by hiring them on staff. 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And he began linking up with the best specialists in their respective fields: Jess Escalera, who was named Latin Americas Best Pastry Chef in 2018 by the Worlds 50 Best Restaurants; Mica Rousseau, a Mexico City-based bartender who was heralded as the countrys top mixologist in the 2016 World Class competition; and Ignacio Cadena, a contemporary restaurant designer responsible for Hueso in Guadalajara and La Leche in Puerto Vallarta. In my restaurant, we got rid of beans, guacamole, and margaritas. For dessert, expect a take on a margarita: citrus granita, tequila, salt foam and chapulines (grasshoppers). Carlos Gaytn, the first Mexican chef to earn a Michelin star, opened his new concept in fall 2019. That kept their doors open, but business was still fading. Find your friends on Facebook. Tzuco tells the story of Carlos Gaytns life throughout a myriad of culinary creations in a unique and poetic space. La Casa de Dios The House of God is a family affair. Gaytan learned to cook, too, and that position led him to an 8-year-stint at the Union League Club in the Loop, then as chef de cuisine at Bistrot Margot in 2004. "He was that father figure. Plus, get the exclusive Robb Report tote bag FREE. Photographer Sandy Noto followed Tzucos Executive Chef and Owner, Carlos Gaytan, around his adopted hometown of Chicago. The open kitchen Carlos Gaytn was the first Mexican chef with a Michelin-starred restaurant. "He was my apprentice, and he took that ball and ran with it further than I was able to go," Miller said. In one corner of the converted living room, Gaytan's wife, Iliamar, preached in English; 10 feet away a teenage girl translated into Swahili. We didn't do sports so when we were in the field, we used to prepare the animal, and it was just my father and me in the mountains. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. Fast forward and Carlos Gaytan is now Chef-owner of Tzuco in the city's Gold Coast neighborhood, where the food is a blend of his Mexican heritage with a French twist. A year later, via a cryptic Instagram post in May 2018, Gaytn announced his return with Tzuco, which opened in September 2019 in the Gold Coast neighborhood and kicked off the chef's ambitious comeback. Shortly after, she joined Biden's presidency campaign as deputy director of Latino/Spanish media. The menu is entirely shareable plates, broken into different sizes. The older he got, the more obvious it became that he had no career prospects in the place he was born. Seared duck breast and duck leg confit will be paired with foie gras and mole poblano and served tetela-style, stuffed in a tortilla. ", Said Louis Maldonado, another "Top Chef" colleague: "His beliefs, morals, family and church that really shined through. Church members chipped in to help the restaurant repay its $17,000 in back taxes. In Tzuco, the chef continues showcasing Mexican dishes and following recipes from his childhood. What to watch. But he longed for the food of his youth. Hispanic Executive is a registered trademark of Guerrero LLC. Using a friend's passport, he arrived in the suburbs of Chicago and began his new career as a dishwasher at the Sheraton North Shore Hotel. View the profiles of professionals named "Carlos Gaytan" on LinkedIn. Amplifying the voices of Latino leadership in America, SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER AMPLIFYING THE VOICES OF LATINO LEADERSHIP IN AMERICA. At the pulpit was Pastor Efrain Isaac delivering his message loudest of all in Spanish. See Photos. Iliamar worked on restaurant projects before and knew rescheduling a city inspection can take weeks. Its been very difficult to educate consumers. Holidays, weekends and nights are spent serving customers, so it's not an ideal business while raising a family. After all of his travels, and eating regional dishes from all over the country, Gaytan is back and has just opened Tzuco, which serves his signature combination of French-inspired techniques and Mexican flavors, in Near North. Gaytan's 11-year-old son, Liam, sat at the drum kit, settling into a syncopated groove; his 16-year-old daughter, Caliani, led the chorus and played guitar. Two days later, Gaytan says, he received two American Express cards with a credit limit of exactly the amount they needed to continue. Exposure on that show doesn't translate to guaranteed success. All rights reserved. ", While most fan mail have been positive, Gaytan received a handful of emails from viewers condemning him for entering the country illegally. In 2018, chef Carlos Gaytn abruptly closed his trailblazing Mexican fine dining restaurant, Mexique, in Chicago and left the country. Required fields are marked *. When Chef Carlos Gaytan closed Mexique last summer, he decided it was time to get back to his roots. Its dinner theater. Works at Oaxaca City. The accolade turned his business around and sparked an immediate rise in reservations. Get the Robb Report newsletter for similar stories delivered straight to your inbox. Your email address will not be published. Pastor Isaac is Gaytan's father-in-law. Neither did Gaytan. Ximena launched communication consultancy firm C1 Revolution in 2014 with Four Seasons Mexico City as her first client. Chicago magazine newsletters have you covered. It is nestled in the swanky Gold Coast neighborhood full of hotels, a busy shopping district, and celebrity residents. He'd be up in the morning before we'd wake up and make us coffee and breakfast. I grew up with my parents. Tzuco opened in September 2019, a 120-seat, energetic restaurant where Mexican and French cuisines combine. The name of his latest eatery is short for Huitzuco his hometown and the place where he learned to cook alongside his mother, Doa Tet. But it's something I'll always be grateful for and will forever carry Mexique in my heart.".
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