Lucho Martínez

Chef Lucho Martínez's culinary philosophy is deeply rooted in a profound reinterpretation of Mexican cuisine, viewed through the exacting lens of produce and personal memory. His core ethos centers on taking "known ingredients, with deep roots, in unconventional ways" to challenge preconceptions about Mexican food, asserting that "it's not all tacos or street food" and that an ingredient "can whisper and still leave you speechless" without relying solely on spice. He sees Em, his acclaimed restaurant, not as a type of kitchen, but "an inquiry of its own style that seeks excellence," a love letter to his hometown of Veracruz, a meditation on memory, and a journey through flavors that linger. Seasonality is paramount to his approach; the menu at Em "evolves with the seasons," guided by what providers bring. This ensures a constant change and adaptation while maintaining a commitment to "the selection of the best product" as the starting point for his creative process. While embracing this fluidity, certain ingredients like mamey, corn, and hoja santa are constants, emblematic of his dedication to native Latin American produce. His overarching vision is to create spaces that "feed more than hunger," evoking feelings of places visited and people met, and ultimately to foster a sense of pride in his daughter, Emilia, for whom the restaurant is named. He aims for guests to feel genuinely at home, experiencing Mexican culture as something lived rather than performed, balancing innovation with tradition through a mantra of simplicity and utility: "If it doesn't make sense, it doesn't work." Chef Martínez's signature approach is characterized by an authoritative blend of international techniques—specifically Japanese and French—expertly married with indigenous Mexican ingredients. He strives for a technical style that transcends mere fusion, creating "soft yet intense flavours, short and long-lasting, new and known." His work is a "long and dedicated process," influenced by diverse national and international techniques to establish a distinctive signature. He takes familiar ingredients like huitlacoche, cactus, and escamoles and transforms them into unexpected, refined forms; for instance, huitlacoche becomes a small tart with Ocosingo cheese, cactus is rendered into a fish bone broth (dubbed 'dashi'), and escamoles are crafted into small round croquettes with serrano. In terms of plating and presentation, Martínez values simplicity and impact, aiming to "limit how many things people see in the final dish." He meticulously designs dishes, often sketching them out on paper to visualize the final product and ensure a coherent aesthetic that belies the complexity of its creation. His creative process is largely spontaneous in the kitchen, driven by tasting and an acute awareness of the customer's experience. He aims to make food appear simple while delivering complex, multi-layered flavors. While his menu evolves constantly, dishes centered around native fruits like mamey or zapote are particularly emblematic of his ability to elevate the familiar into something delightful and new, representing a complete expression of his culinary identity.

Career

• Chef at Professional kitchens, Nashville
• Chef at Professional kitchens, Cancún
• Chef (honed craft) at Máximo, Mexico City
• Chef-Owner at Em, Mexico City
• Chef-Owner at Ultramarinos Demar, Mexico City
• Chef-Owner at Martínez, Mexico City