César Pita Aguila
Executive Chef of Viceroy Los Cabos
San Jose del Cabo
Instagram: @chefcesarpita
I draw inspiration from my family. I grew up in my grandparents’ restaurant, an authentic Mexican eatery in Querétaro City, surrounded by ingredients, markets, vendors and food feasts.
I separate myself and my brand from others in this field by cooking with freedom. I love the fact that my cuisine is not typecast in a specific style because as a chef I am evolving and learning every day and I love the way it impacts my kitchen. Second, I enjoy mixing ingredients that usually wouldn’t go together to see how these unexpected combinations explode in the mouths of diners. For example, Cholate clams with habanero kosho, koji butter and cured chorizo.
My greatest career achievement thus far is being able to transform my family‘s culinary heritage to a more sophisticated kitchen and make my ancestors feel proud of my cuisine.
People would be surprised to know that no matter how hard my day was, every day I wake first thing in the morning to prepare breakfast for my kids Isabella and Manolo. My wife and children are my motivation and there is nothing I enjoy more than sharing those little moments to show them my love.
My favorite authentic meal in town to enjoy is tacos. You can never go wrong with street tacos.
Tequila or mezcal? Para todo mal mezcal, para todo bien también! (Mexican phrase meaning “mezcal for the bad times, mezcal for the good times!”)
I hope my greatest contribution to Mexico’s culinary scene is to help develop a new wave of Mexican chefs that are strong and successful. And of course, I need to pay back the land that has given me an opportunity to showcase my cuisine. Through my kitchen, I want to tell the world that Los Cabos is Mexico’s new foodie destination. All my chef friends and I are working together to make Los Cabos the destination. Viceroy Los Cabos is my canvas, my dishes are my art.
This article originally appeared in the 2019 Fall/Winter issue of InMexico Magazine.