Soulful cooking

You can learn a cuisine in many ways, but only a mentor can help you imbibe the soul of a cuisine, writes Vikas Seth while paying an ode to Chef Iliana de la Vega, one of Mexico's finest culinary minds and mentor par excellence

Tamale

The author with Chef Iliana de la Vega

Some chefs can floor you with their cooking, others do so with a side serve of exceptional knowledge and master storytelling — Chef Iliana de la Vega, one of the brilliant Mexican culinary minds I have met, does both with inspiring finesse. How do I know this? Because the two-time James Beard Award semi-finalist has been my mentor. Much of what I know about Mexican food today, including the art of making the Queso Fresco and Tamale, has been as much her doing as it is mine. In fact, she has played a decisive role behind my many trips not just to Mexico City, her birthplace, but to Oaxaca as well where Chef de la Vega began her culinary journey with El Naranjo Mobile and Catering that eventually transformed into the much-acclaimed El Naranjo in Austin in 2012. It was the same year that I had first met her as part of the Culinary Institute of America’s (CIA) boot camp where Chef de la Vega had joined as their first specialist in Mexican/Latin cuisine — and our instructor.

Dressed in chef's whites, her genial presence and affable nature left a great impression on me. It was a trait that transcended into her classes as well, which was nothing less than one of the finest taste-walks into Mexican culinary heritage. Her knowledge about ingredients, techniques, stories behind, traditional science and how does one tweak the dishes when changing continents was awe-inspiring. The recording of her session still works as the canvas on which I develop newer concepts for my menus. However, it was not till 2016 that I began to look at her as my guide and an influence. It all began when I was planning a trip to Mexico where I had planned to get beyond the regular haunts that I reached out to her for guidance. Chef de la Vega, who regularly organises culinary trips in and around Oaxaca, was more than forthcoming with suggestions. She even organised a series of hands-on experience that helped me understand two very significant things about Mexican cuisine: first, the ‘soul’ of Mexican food; and two, how to make Mexican gastronomy appeal to the Indian palate. After all, popularising Mexican cuisine beyond tacos and Tex Mex has been one of Chef de la Vega’s life mission, done to commendable effectiveness. The secret, she once shared, “to popularising a traditional cuisine isn’t changing the dishes for a palate but making it with enough love and care, and then presenting it with pride. Then anyone with an open palate will appreciate (even love) it. And remember, people, are always looking for something new to try.” Her work on Mexican cuisine, especially in popularising Mole — a dish that needs time, patience, and love to make and often fits into the acquired taste category — stands testimony that her conviction works.

Yet, strangely, Chef de la Vega has never stepped into my restaurant kitchen and neither have I into hers, albeit I hope the former happens someday soon.

(The author is a seasoned chef & Mexican culinary specialist.)