Setting the Table with Chef José Solís of Tenoch at El Paradero
From Mexico City’s top kitchens to Todos Santos, Chef José Solís brings technique, fire, and a sense of place to Tenoch.
How did your time at Pujol and Máximo Bistrot shape your philosophy around food and hospitality?
JS: My time at Pujol was formative. Working under a team so rooted in Mexican tradition taught me to respect origin — to understand that every ingredient carries a story, a lineage. It’s where I learned that cooking is about preserving memory as much as it is about creating flavor.
Then at Máximo Bistrot, things shifted. It’s a place where French technique meets Mexican soul — a space of constant tension and balance. That experience opened my eyes to the possibilities of fusion, of letting two worlds meet without losing authenticity. Together, those experiences taught me how to honor my roots while pushing boundaries.
What inspired the vision behind the new menu here, and what story are you hoping to tell?
JS: Here in Todos Santos, we’re surrounded by fertile land and two bodies of water — the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Sea of Cortés on the other. The ingredients we find here are extraordinary. We cook with fire and wood because it connects us directly to the land. Everything starts with what the soil gives us — the seeds, the produce, the richness of the terrain. That’s what drives the menu: a reflection of this place, its textures, and its generosity.
How do you source your ingredients, and how does the local landscape influence your cooking?
JS: Everything comes from the land around us. The peninsula gives us a mix of desert and ocean — mangoes, herbs, and corn growing beside incredible seafood like yellowtail. Just by being here, you learn to cook in rhythm with the environment. Every dish is a conversation between sea and soil.
What excites you most about the future of Mexican cuisine, both in Mexico and globally?
JS: There’s an amazing energy happening right now. Chefs from all over the world are coming to Mexico to learn, collaborate, and work with our ingredients. Mexico has become this vibrant exchange between global technique and local product — and it’s elevating the cuisine while keeping it deeply, unmistakably Mexican. That openness and potential are what excite me most.
Chef José preparing French toast, a Tenoch brunch favorite.
Are there any upcoming collaborations or dishes you’re especially excited about?
JS: We’re perfecting huevos sobre hoja santa — eggs cooked over the aromatic Mexican herb leaf in traditional Oaxacan clay pans over wood fire. It’s a dish rooted in ancestral technique, brought forward with care. And then there’s mole — my lifelong passion. It’s not just a sauce; it’s a living archive of flavors: hundreds of chiles, seeds, and spices, all in harmony. Every time I make it, it feels like a conversation with those who came before us.
Chef José making huevos sobre hoja santa over the wood fire at Tenoch.
What kind of experience do you want your guests to have?
JS: We just launched our first tasting menu this spring — starting with baby corn and black-garlic mayonnaise, followed by a scallop tostada with Japanese-inspired mayo, and other courses that weave together regional authenticity with global notes. But more than the food, I want guests to feel a connection — to the fire, the soil, the sea, and the heritage that feeds everything we do here.