Cover story Sunny disposition
The women of Mexico are the inspiration for Adriana Cavita’s cooking, which focuses on traditional recipes passed down through generations. Emma Lake hears how she has made her mark on the London food scene
O
n opening, Adriana Cavita’s eponymous debut restaurant was said to have “rede- fined” London’s Mexican food scene.
Her extensive research into her native cuisine sees her playfully combine rustic flavours and culinary technique to produce vibrant results that have delighted guests and critics alike. However, despite the immediate critical suc-
cess of Cavita, 2022 was a tumultuous time for the chef. Shortly after opening the venue to rave reviews, she was forced to leave the UK for eight months while waiting for a visa to be processed. But now, having been back at the helm of
the restaurant for almost 10 months, she is relishing the opportunity to take stock, although it would be foolish to expect Cavita to stand still for long – even her enforced eight- month hiatus was used for research trips and to write her first book,Cocina Mexicana. Indeed, 2024 has already seen her relaunch
the restaurant’s underground bar as El Bar de Cavita, serving margaritas, mezcal and Mexican street food, while a further collaboration with cocktail maestro Ryan Chetiyawardana – or Mr Lyan – is in the works. A focus on staff training is also being planned, along with a reworking of the restaurant’s menus to showcase dishes from regions of Mexico that are scarcely seen in the capital. The chef’s passion for her native cuisine has
guided her career. It began with her decision to study gastronomy at Universidad del Claustro de Sor Juana in Mexico City, one of the few universities to incorporate Mexican cuisine in the course. She has increasingly found purpose in studying Mexican food and pre- serving its techniques and traditions. As such,
22 | The Caterer | 8 March 2024
www.thecaterer.com
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