More online
www.thecaterer.com
a conversation with Cavita takes frequent and fascinating tangents into the history of the domestication of corn, ancient techniques for preparing and cooking dishes and the convivi- ality of rural markets. Her passion has been nurtured by several remarkable women, including her grand- mother and the mother of a colleague who invited the chef into her Oaxaca home to study her recipes. Cavita has also spent time with indigenous communities in Mexico and in wider central America. She says: “Meeting all these women in dif-
ferent regions, they inspired me so much because I feel they are very strong and they carry a lot of love. What keeps people cooking the same recipes for years? It’s this nurturing nature of woman. In the past couple of years, hanging out with indigenous communities has inspired me a lot, particularly how they take care of the land, share their wisdom with new generations and make them care about it. That’s something I feel we’ve been missing in wider society.”
Infused influences As a child Cavita spent a lot of time with her grandparents, who lived in the ancient town of Azcapotzalco in the north of Mexico City. Her grandfather had a farm and imbued her with a respect and interest in produce, while her grandmother ran a small restau- rant from the family home’s garage, selling huaraches, tamales and quesadilla. Cavita says: “She was visionary; she loved
her food business and she transmitted that love to me.” While the influence of her grandmother undoubtedly ignited an interest in hospital- ity, Cavita initially dismissed the idea of train- ing to be a chef. She failed to see the career
“Meeting all these women in different regions, they just inspired me so much”
potential and was put off by the machismo of professional kitchens. Nevertheless, when it came to picking a university course, gastronomy pulled her in and her early memories are carried through to the menu at Cavita in Wigmore Street. The interiors are inspired by her grandmother’s house, with terracotta tones dripping with the greenery of ferns and houseplants alongside artworks by Cavita’s friends as well as ornaments and objects collected through her travels. She says: “It’s a little bit of home. The idea was
to create my grandmother’s patio. She used to have a lot of plants and her house had stairs on the outside, with all the plants growing up and on top. I thought we needed to bring that here.” Cavita’s menus take influence from a
broad range of Mexican cuisine, from beauti- fully prepared seafood to street food and the moles or sauces she was taught by her friend’s mother in Oaxaca. She says: “One of our bestsellers is quesabirria, which is from the north of Mexico and it’s a very messy street food. It’s slow-cooked beef shin, cooked with dried chillies and spices, which is then shred- ded. We take the juice from the meat and reduce it. We do a grilled cheese and put the tortilla with the meat inside. People can put some lime juice on top, dip it in the juice and eat it. I want people to eat it with their hands.” While studying, Cavita worked at Pujol in
Mexico City before travelling to Spain to work at three-Michelin-starred El Bulli up to its closure in 2011. She describes her time at the restaurant as formative and says: “El Bulli was very professional, the communication, how tidy everything was, the way they ran every- thing. It was mind-blowing for me.”
www.thecaterer.com 8 March 2024 | The Caterer | 23
▲
PHOTOS: ZAMANIEGO STUDIO
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
