admin
Posts 164
|
Filemón Valencia Malpica, Executive Chef At La Destilería
“I dreamed about working at a seaside location, and it came true”
1. From two locations within La Distilería Restaurant, you can watch chef Filemón Valencia practicing his craft in the kitchen while watching the Papantla Flyers perform right across from the restaurant’s privileged location on the Malecón. Born in Papantla, chef Valencia delights in coordinating his work in the kitchen while watching the spinning ritual from his native city.
2. He migrated from Vera Cruz to Mexico City, where his brothers gave him a hand, and began work in a restaurant belonging to the Anderson Group. From there, he went on to work in an Asian restaurant and subsequently worked for four years at the prestigious restaurant El Lago, located in the forest of Chapultepec.
3. Filemón ultimately became part of La Distilería, one of 10 establishments belonging to the CMR Corporation, which owns more than 110 restaurants throughout the country. Their concept is traditional Mexican cuisine, and it has done very well. This year they opened locations in Puerto Vallarta and Playa del Carmen; next year they plan on opening in Los Cabos and Monterrey.
4. One afternoon he was offered the opportunity to open La Distilería in Puerto Vallarta and accepted without hesitation. “I arrived on May 19. I didn’t know Puerto Vallarta, but I liked what I saw. It’s a very quiet place. I always dreamed of working at a seaside location, and it came true. I was going to be in charge.”
5. La Distilería has a pre-set menu for all their restaurants; nonetheless, Filemón added seafood and customized the sauces to suit the taste of foreign tourists. The most popular dishes are the beef served in a molcajete and the coconut shrimp with mango salsa.
6. Despite limited English skills, chef Valencia comes out of the kitchen to greet the diners, especially when someone requests him because he has left them “licking their fingers.” The waiters often translate for him; however, universal language tells him he has done his job by providing the best of Mexico.
7. Vallarta has continued to surprise him. When he arrived, he was told it was low season, but says it wasn’t that bad. “We never have less than 50 percent occupancy during dinner, and that isn’t too bad for low season. We are now preparing for this winter.”
8. Chef Valencia lives here with his family. He is not sure if he will stay here indefinitely. He defines himself as a man of challenges and would like to open in Los Cabos, but his family has the final say. “Recently, my daughter, who is 12, told me she would turn 15 in three years and wanted to know where her coming out party would be held. So I suppose I must decide soon.”
La Destilería
Galeana 104 int. 101, Centro / Downtown
Mon-sun 11:00am-12:00am
AE / MC / Visa
By Rodrigo López Becerril
|