José Lizarralde Serralde

Chef José 'Pachi' Lizarralde Serralde, a culinary artist with 16 years of professional experience, hails from Mexico City, where he honed his skills in revered establishments such as Nicos and Meroma, alongside international training at Copenhagen's Relae. As head chef at Carousel and Cometa, his overarching culinary philosophy centers on a vibrant and unapologetically bold interpretation of Mexican coastal cuisine, drawing inspiration from regions like Ensenada, Veracruz, Sinaloa, and the lively cantinas of his native Mexico City. His approach rejects subtlety in favor of intense, layered flavors, often achieved through generous applications of traditional dressings and condiments such as Maggi, Worcestershire, and Tabasco. He believes true Mexican seafood is a symphony of fresh ingredients amplified by these robust additions, creating dishes that are profoundly flavorful and designed to be enjoyed with an immersive, hands-on spirit. Lizarralde Serralde is dedicated to sourcing the freshest ingredients, leveraging Carousel’s established relationships with dayboat fishermen, and has adapted his cooking to embrace the seasonality of the UK, a notable shift from the year-round availability he experienced in Mexico. At his core, Chef Lizarralde Serralde is driven by a passion for creating authentic and meaningful food. He finds deep satisfaction in the collaborative effort of his team and successfully delivering under pressure. He holds a firm stance against compromising his culinary vision for unaligned requests, advocating for an industry that values genuine understanding of food and fosters a better environment for those who dedicate their lives to it. Chef Lizarralde Serralde’s culinary approach is a masterclass in blending sophisticated technique with an unpretentious, flavor-first philosophy. His technical style is rooted in complex Mexican preparations, notably the labor-intensive mole, which he adapts while pragmatically eschewing mythical 'mother mole' traditions for practical excellence. He crafts dishes that are rich, deep, and often feature compelling contrasts, such as hot elements juxtaposed with cold components. In terms of flavor and plating, his style is characterized by its intensity and lack of restraint. He champions an interactive dining experience, encouraging guests to abandon cutlery for dishes like ceviche, consumed with a spoon and tostada to fully embrace the 'messy' cultural aspect. His dishes are visually appealing, bursting with color, and designed to convey a sense of genuine Mexican warmth and hospitality. Among his most celebrated and defining dishes at Cometa are: - **Crab Rice:** A standout reinterpretation of *arroz a la tumbada* from Veracruz, this dish is a creamy, deeply intense crab-flavored rice, enriched with a dollop of smoked eel cream that provides a captivating hot and cold dynamic. - **Beetroot Dish with Mole:** Demonstrating his profound knowledge of Mexican cuisine, this dish showcases a mole based on recipes he meticulously learned during his extensive career in Mexico. - **Lobster Flauta:** Though a highlight developed by Chef Alejandra Juarez, this Bajan-inspired creation, overseen by Lizarralde Serralde, features beans and lobster wrapped in flour tortillas, served with a luxurious bisque derived from the lobster's entirety. - **Sea Bream, Meyer Lemon and Sesame Aguachile:** A 'memorably good' raw preparation that exemplifies his use of fresh seafood and vibrant, layered sauces. - **Glazed Fried Chicken:** A beloved Carousel legacy, reimagined at Cometa with a habanero glaze inspired by Yucatán flavors, offered in limited daily quantities to emphasize the new restaurant's focus.

Career

• Cook at Zingaro, Mexico City
• Chef at Relæ, Copenhagen
• Chef at Nicos, Mexico City
• Chef at Meroma, Mexico City
• Chef at Carousel, London
• Head Chef at Cometa, London