Enrique Olvera is one of the most prominent chefs in the world, known for his innovative culinary creations and his unique approach to Mexican cuisine. He is the founder of Pujol, one of the top restaurants in Mexico City and Cosme and Atla in New York City. Olvera has been awarded multiple Michelin stars and has been named one of the 50 most influential people in the world by Time magazine. This is the story of Enrique Olvera, his life, and his journey to becoming one of the world’s most acclaimed chefs.
Early Life and Education
Enrique Olvera was born on February 14, 1976, in Mexico City. His parents were both doctors, and growing up, Olvera was exposed to the world of medicine. However, he was more interested in the culinary arts, and as a child, he spent a lot of time in the kitchen with his grandmother, learning how to cook traditional Mexican dishes.
At the age of 14, Olvera left Mexico City to attend boarding school in the United States. He studied at The Culver Academies in Indiana and then went on to attend the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont. It was at culinary school that Olvera began to develop his culinary style and began to understand the importance of ingredients and technique.
Early Career
After completing culinary school, Olvera returned to Mexico and began working at a restaurant called Mesón de la Sacristía. It was there that he first encountered the cuisine of Puebla, a region in Mexico known for its rich culinary traditions. Olvera became fascinated with the flavors and techniques of Puebla and began to experiment with these ingredients in his cooking.
In 2000, Olvera opened his first restaurant, called Alejandro, in Mexico City. The restaurant was named after Olvera’s brother, who had died a few years earlier. Alejandro was a small, casual restaurant that focused on traditional Mexican cuisine. It was a success, and it was there that Olvera began to develop a reputation as a talented chef.
In 2001, Olvera closed Alejandro and opened a new restaurant called Pujol. The restaurant was located in the upscale Polanco neighborhood of Mexico City and was more upscale than Alejandro. Pujol focused on traditional Mexican cuisine but with a modern twist. The restaurant was an instant success and quickly became one of the most popular restaurants in Mexico City.
Pujol and the Rise to Fame
Pujol was a turning point in Olvera’s career. The restaurant was unlike anything that had been seen before in Mexico City. Olvera took traditional Mexican ingredients and techniques and combined them with modern culinary techniques to create something entirely new.
One of Olvera’s most famous dishes is his “mole madre, mole nuevo” dish. The dish features a mole sauce that has been continuously cooked for over 1,000 days. Olvera takes a small amount of this sauce and combines it with a freshly made mole sauce to create a unique and complex flavor profile.
Pujol quickly became one of the most popular restaurants in Mexico City, and Olvera’s reputation as a talented chef began to spread. In 2010, Pujol was named the best restaurant in Mexico by the prestigious San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
In 2014, Olvera opened a new restaurant in New York City called Cosme. Cosme was similar to Pujol in that it focused on traditional Mexican ingredients and techniques but with a modern twist. The restaurant was an instant success and received rave reviews from critics and diners alike.
