I am a Mexican that has been living in New York for the last 15 years of her life. Being the daughter of a foodie and wine connoisseur, I have been known to spend more than I should on the NY dining-out-experience. Every time my favorite critics rave about a new restaurant, I try my best to go and check it out. If the food is awesome I feel triumphant and if it isn't, I feel like an idiot for having spent the money…but hey, I guess one has to try.
Now, when it comes to Mexican food it's another story. I love Mexican food and miss it as much as I miss my family. So when people in New York tell me about the taco stand they just found or the new Mexican joints in their 'hood I "absolutely have to try," I always check it out–hoping to find something that's a bit closer to the food I grew up with, but it never is.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy going to these places and some of them have amazing food, but it's just not authentic Mexican fare. I don't know if it's the water or the air, but (among other things) the tortillas in this country don't taste like the ones from Mexico.
One of the best things in NY are the creative inventions of various chefs who take "influences" from cuisines around the world and come up with something spectacular. This, I respect very much. Especially if someone like Chef Alex Stupak decides that Mexican food is something he wants to experiment with for his newest venture! To me, this is a great compliment–it means that someone with tons of training has actually understood the complexity and greatness behind Mexican food.
Chef Alex Stupak is considered to be one of America's greatest pastry chefs, he spent the past four years at WD-50 before leaving to open the doors of Empellón (yes, he used an accent).
I respect him as a Chef but also as a person, because he took the time to address a harsh criticism from Mr. Steve Plotnicki (the critic behind the blog Opinionated about Dining) about his decision to leave his job as a pastry chef in order to pursue his dreams.
Plotnicki blogged about the "Strange case of Alex Stupak" in which he stated:
For some reason that is unbeknownst to anyone but himself, he decided to give up making cutting edge desserts in order to cook tacos. No, not exploding tacos or liquid nitrogen margaritas, I am talking about straight ahead Mexican food. He has this immense talent and I am certain I speak on behalf of the fine dining community when I say it is being wasted on making fresh tortillas in a manner that is more in common with a good Mexican home cook than what one of the world's most talented chefs can turn out.
Mr. P., What exactly do you mean?
This man clearly has no clue about Mexican cuisine– especially Alta Cocina Mexicana, if he is attempting to reduce our food to tortillas, margaritas and guacamole. So, I suggest he get on a plane, take a restaurant tour and then come back and apologize to Chef Stupak.
Nonetheless, Chef Stupak took the time to answer to Mr. P. and he began quoting one of the greatest chefs, Ferran Adria, who says that creative people try to do the things they don't know how to do.
*I'm doing this at great risk. I know I'm not the best at it and I knew that opening this restaurant would be a shaky proposition but I'm ignoring the imminent risk of failure and destruction of what little reputation I have because I really do love this cuisine that much. I don't want to change Mexican cuisine. I want it to change me.
*
Empellón has a very creative menu that expands the "taco experience" and uses scallops, duck, shark, pork belly among other ingredients, all cooked in elaborate sauces as if they were stand-alone entrees. There are many salsas and various kinds of moles and they even have one with huitlacoche.
I am sure people who know Mexican food will appreciate Empellón's inventions! Good luck to you Chef Stupak.
Images via Empellon.com
