Vitals: Born in Mexico City, Mexico, Medina grew up in a family of home cooks that encouraged him to experiment in the kitchen as soon as he could reach the stove. At just 17, Medina knew he wanted to be a chef and began working at high-end restaurants in his native city where he learned how to cook refined Mexican food with French flair. He moved to New York City at 21 years old to attend the French Culinary Institute and nearly 20 years later, owns four Latin restaurants in New York City. Whether it’s diner-style casual Latin comfort food at downtown hotspot Coppelia or contemporary tacos at upscale eatery Toloache, Medina’s restaurants have become the go-to for sexy urban Latin food in a city jam-packed with culinary choices. The 37-year-old also made a high-profile television debut last year, competing against Jose Garces on “Iron Chef America.”
Experience: Medina credits esteemed Mexican chef Richard Sandoval as his mentor, whom he first met when Chef Sandoval visited Mexico City in 1996. “I was still in Mexico when I just called him out of the blue and asked if he needed someone at his restaurant in New York City, and he said no,” Medina recalls. “But I guess he liked me, because the next day he called and said he wanted me to report at Maya in two weeks.” Five months later, Medina became the chef de cuisine at Maya and later moved to SushiSamba as executive chef. After opening an outpost of SushiSamba in Miami, he returned to work for Sandoval as corporate chef and opened Pompano. After striking out on his own in 2007, Medina opened his first restaurant: swanky taqueria Toloache.
On his culinary beginnings: “As a kid my friends would come over and of course, we’d get hungry at some point in the afternoon. That’s when I would open up the fridge to start cooking. I would make all kinds of dishes. A favorite was French fries: I used to cut my own potatoes and fry them. Or I’d make ham and cheese sandwiches; freshly made popcorn. My friends loved it and I think the joy I had cooking for people at a young age truly influenced my career path. Being a chef is hard work and you have to love every difficult step. I’m lucky to have a career that has fulfilled me in every way.”
On owning a conglomerate of four Latin restaurants in the nation’s culinary capital, New York City: “I really had a momentum that made it hard to stop. I opened six restaurants in just five years and I’m working hard with my team to make every day better than the last. I think of what I’m doing as a service; something for the neighborhood where each restaurant is located. That’s what I want in my own neighborhood; a place where I’m treated well, can get something delicious and where I feel welcomed and want to return. And because I feel comfortable preparing all types of Latin food, I wanted to open different restaurants that expressed that variation in flavors and dishes.”
Why pan-Latin food trend is here to stay: “Being Mexican, I’ve always wanted to showcase my country as well as Latin America. I love those flavors and while I try to keep the cuisine moving forward, I’m keeping its integrity while putting my stamp on it. It’s all about using the best ingredients and techniques; offering food that satisfies from the first bite. So pan-Latin? It’s not a trend as much as a reflection of the way Hispanics eat every day in households across the country. Lots of flavor, spice, textures, layers tie Latin food together and that’s something I offer my guests in my restaurants.”
On comfort food: “I grew up with my father making breakfast for me and my two brothers every day before school. And it wasn’t just fruit and juice; we always had eggs and more complicated dishes. We ate these elaborate meals every morning and you know, at eight years old, trying to choke down breakfast wasn’t always fun but now I think of breakfast as the most important meal of the day. Huevos rancheros, chilaquiles – that’s my comfort food.”
Proudest moment: “I’m proud of the fact that I moved to New York City as just a kid. It was a tremendous challenge at the time, but it feels like home now. I remember being sad and lonely for the first three months, and then because I was homesick, I returned to Mexico City to see my family. On the plane I thought, ‘I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed’ – my New York bed. That’s when I knew that the city had become home. I’ve worked very hard and finally I’m living my dream. It’s such a nice feeling.”
His favorite pantry staple: “I use a lot of Japanese ingredients because I like Japanese food and I feel it really helps to brighten up typical Latin dishes. I use yuzu juice in many of my dishes, which has a gorgeous acidity and brightness. It’s just a natural pairing with something like salsa, to which I’ll often add ginger and sesame sauce. You’ll see something like a shrimp tostada on my menu, but it’s different because the shrimp is tossed with peanut butter, yuzu juice and chile de arbol. It’s quirky, but works well.”
On cooking for not-so-picky kids: “I have a four-year old and I like to cook once or twice a week for her when I have time. I want my daughter to grow up trying different foods. My father made such an effort to give us a variety of vegetables, meats, fruits, fish and I want to do the same for her. She’s really adventurous and loves mussels, octopus. I also make her macaroni and cheese, rice. She’s not my pickiest eater but what she’ll eat is very dependent on her mood.”
His favorite food: “I love tortillas, which I grew up eating a lot of. I have great memories of my father, who would take me nearly every Friday for tacos al pastor. But I love eating French food, Japanese food. I love everything and being in New York City I’ve learned to really appreciate Indian, Turkish, Greek and Thai food – those cuisines are my favorite.”
