Since I can remember, I have always had a big interest in flavours and eating. But it wasn’t until I was 15 years old that I cooked a recipe from the back of a Ritz cracker box, which started a bigger curiosity in me, and I started cooking every recipe I could put my hands on.

I moved to Copenhagen to begin a development course at the Nordic Food Lab, researching how to make tortillas using Nordic grains. The project inspired me to start a series of pop-up events worldwide – in 27 countries – cooking dishes inspired by Mexican recipes but using local ingredients.

This took me to places as far-flung as France, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Sweden, and Russia, among many others. While in Russia in 2016, I received a message that would change the course of my career. My world tour had introduced me to many global chefs, food writers, and journalists. When René Redzepi had his idea to take Noma to Mexico for a seven-week pop-up in Tulum, he was looking for a project manager, and my name was recommended. Noma contacted me, and after meeting Rene, I was offered the job on the spot and had just nine days to organise the first research trip. Over the following months, up to the opening of Noma Mexico in 2017, I learned more about my people, cuisine, and ingredients than ever before.

Apart from Mexican, I’d say either Japanese or Spanish food are my favourite cuisines to eat and cook. I love the simplicity, presentation, carefully curated elements, and the highest quality of produce to create depth in flavour and texture – plus they’re very healthy. When you work with a limited number of elements, you need to be able to have the best produce.

Yes, when you’re away, you can truly appreciate how valuable it is. I have missed Mexican food over the years, and that appreciation made me want to know more about it and open Mexican restaurants to share how amazing it is with the world.

Being from Mexico, I wanted to share my love of Mexican food with others, and have poured my passion into creating strong, bold menus that pay homage to Mexico’s rich cultural tastes, aromas, and textures, all while embracing meticulously sourced seasonal British produce. My cuisine showcases a contrast of elegance and balance, offering guests a unique interpretation of Britain through a Mexican lens which has not been done before in London. This fusion of the diverse landscapes and seas of both places is something I’m particularly proud of.

We get inspired by Mexican flavours – that is our starting point. Our main goal is to create dishes that are authentically Mexican and for that we need to understand how Mexican food genuinely tastes. It is also about using the memories and stories of our childhood to showcase dishes from Mexico through a different kind of experience.

We adapt recipes to the local ingredients and seasonality of the United Kingdom. It is almost like translating how the produce of Mexico tastes into what can be done with ingredients found in the UK. Finding ways to cook and dress these ingredients that are grown locally and seasonally to get that similar flavour experience of the Mexican produce.

At Kol, we focus a lot on mezcal, both in cocktails and cooking. We have a long list of mezcal and, when we were creating it, we wanted to showcase the diversity of mezcal in an easy way, just like wine lists are usually presented. We organised our mezcal list based on the strains of plants they are made from, such as americana and espadin, and also the region. There is a lot of misinformation in the way Mexican culture is showcased outside of Mexico so it was very important for us to help people understand more about mezcal and the different provinces and taste profiles.

A cuttlefish that we cook to have a similar texture to coconut. We dress it with gorse and woodruff, which have lactones that give that particular coconut smell – inspired by having coconut on the beach in Mexico – and we serve it with fermented rhubarb juice, pine and chili powder to add notes of lime and spice. I believe it really transports you to the beach in Mexico.

I think it’s definitely not for everyone, but if you’re passionate and you work with the right team it is possible. I think the secret is to align the vision; delegate and surround yourself with people that have the same level of standards as you have and never compromise quality.

My advice is that food and hospitality are a craft, before they’re an art, so it’s very important to love that craft and understand the true meaning of food. Beyond that it is important to understand how food and flavour work scientifically and chemically. You should also eat out as much as you can to figure out what you like to eat. If you want to make a creative restaurant, you need to find inspiration: to travel, visit museums, to find your own style.

Yes! Maybe, one day, but there are no plans at the moment. It’s very difficult to be everywhere at the same time. Right now, I’m focused on the UK as much as possible, and I don’t want to lose that focus for the foreseeable future.

The people. By having a couple of restaurants here I can eat Mexican food and flavours most of the time, but what I really miss is Mexican people; I think we understand each other. And probably also the weather. It’s always lovely to be by the beach in December having a coconut.

One of my favourite fine dining experiences lately was at The Clove Club; their use of British seasonal ingredients and Scottish inspiration was really inspiring, plus the wines and atmosphere was fantastic.

I really like what Andrew Wong does with Chinese cuisine. One of the cuisines that I know the least about is Chinese food, and I would love to know more. Hopefully I can visit China next year.

I like doing things that stimulate my creativity, like travelling. Even if it’s just a train ride to the countryside. I love visiting museums, watching films and working out – and, of course, eating out.