Chef Johnny Curiel talks about the dishes, moments, and ideas that continue to shape his cooking, from formative street food experiences in Mexico to the philosophy guiding his Denver restaurants today.
Pescado a la talla from Contramar in Mexico City. The fish is so fresh, and they cook it perfectly over the coals with two different sauces and tortillas, and when you’re sitting at Contramar you forget about everything else that’s going on in life.
In downtown Oaxaca 13 years ago, learning how to make molotes [canoe-shaped masa empanadas] from an old lady with her comal, masa, cabbage and beans. Molotes don't exist in Guadalajara, it's a Oaxacan street food, and I remember being mind-blown by how she could shape them into perfect ovals with just her hands, and falling in love with masa.
It’s an experience, it’s story, it’s execution. Everything has to be done at a high level, and the attention to detail needs to be perfect, not just for the food, but the lighting, the music. Everything needs to work cohesively. I think at Alma, even though it’s not a tasting menu, we pay attention to the small details and we make people feel at home.
One is to share true Mexican food, and the history of Mexico with people. If somebody is dining at our restaurant and they then start a conversation about Mexican food and history, we are doing our part. In the long run, I want to be a mentor too. I want everyone who comes through our company to learn what we have to teach and go on to do more. I want Rico, Eric, Pepe, and Jordan to all be better than me.
SingleThread. I’ve never been, and up until three years ago I probably didn’t have the money to actually go and stay there. SingleThread is the one place that everyone talks about. The ecosystem that they were able to build with the farm and hotel is super intriguing. I want to take something away from the experience, and I want to learn more about regenerative farming so maybe in the future, I can not just take from the land but give back.
Stay true to the ingredient. My philosophy is always be true to the ingredient and history of what you’re doing. Stay true to what you love and the message you want to share. For me, that’s Mexican, but whatever defines you as a person, make that your goal and message. Sharing your voice is so powerful and important.
My mom’s frijoles puercos with sourdough flour tortillas. This is a dish my mom cooks for me every time I go back to Mexico, and I have my own version on the menu at Alma. If I’m going through something rough, let me just have this and I’ll figure out everything later.
The Chef
Chef Johnny Curiel is a Mexico-born chef whose fire-driven roots and modern precision now shape Denver’s most ambitious Mexican restaurants, from Alma Fonda Fina to Maíze.
