Inside the Kitchen: Seven Questions with Chef Nicolas Lopez of 888

Tortilla soup, without a doubt. It’s one of those dishes I could eat over and over again and never get tired of. I love the combination of the rich tomato and chile broth, crispy tortilla, avocado, cheese, and a little lime, it has everything I want in a meal. It’s simple, comforting, and familiar, and sometimes those are the dishes I enjoy the most.

I don’t really have one specific childhood dish that comes to mind when I think of a “Ratatouille moment.” For me, those moments have happened throughout my career, especially when I’ve been in a new place and experienced an ingredient or dish in a way I had never seen before. Working in different kitchens and traveling has shown me how many different ways there are to approach the same ingredient, and those experiences have completely changed the way I think about food. I think those moments of discovery are what have kept me curious and made me want to keep learning.

To me, fine dining is less about luxury or how complicated a dish looks and more about the thought and intention behind it. It’s about taking care of every detail, from the ingredients and technique to the way the guest experiences the dish. I also think elevated dining should give you something you might not be able to experience at home, a new idea, a different perspective, or simply a moment where you can slow down and enjoy something. At the end of the day, the goal isn’t to show how much technique we know; it’s to use that technique to create something meaningful for the guest.

My long-term goal is to open my own restaurant and build something that truly reflects my experiences, my way of thinking, and the kind of food I want to cook. Of course, I would love to build a restaurant capable of earning three Michelin stars, but I also want it to be a place where chefs can come to learn, experiment, and experience new ways of thinking about food. I’ve been fortunate to learn something from every kitchen I’ve worked in, and I’d love to create that same kind of environment for the next generation of cooks. Ultimately, I want to build a restaurant that is not only great to eat at, but also a place where people can grow.

Restaurant Jordnær in Copenhagen. I’ve become really interested in the way Scandinavian chefs approach ingredients, technique, and simplicity. Jordnær is a restaurant I’ve been wanting to experience because of how they combine that philosophy with incredible seafood and a very personal style of cooking. I’d love to sit at the table and experience the restaurant from the guest’s perspective, rather than always seeing that world from inside the kitchen.

My cooking philosophy is to stay curious and never stop learning. I don’t want to be limited to one style or cuisine, so I take inspiration from every kitchen, chef, culture, and experience that has shaped me and try to turn those influences into something that feels personal. I believe in respecting the ingredient and using technique with purpose, rather than using technique just to show what I can do. Ultimately, I want my food to be thoughtful, approachable, and surprising enough to make people curious about what they’re eating.

Tortilla soup, without a doubt. It’s one of those dishes that I can have anywhere and immediately feel a little closer to home. Even after traveling and working in so many different places, it’s still something I come back to when I want something familiar and comforting. I think that’s what makes it special to me, it doesn’t need to be complicated to make me happy.