Chef Carlos Lopez Muñoz is the owner and operator of Istmo, an acclaimed destination spot in Chicago’s Lakeview section. Istmo draws visitors from near and far with its high-end take on the traditional foods of the Oaxaca region in Mexico. That’s where Carlos began his journey.
Carlos joined hosts Claudia Saric and Spencer Michiel on So You Want To Run a Restaurant to tell us how that journey led him to where he is today. Carlos shared a story deeply rooted in family tradition. However, he also trained under some of the most admired culinary minds in the city of Chicago, including Carlos Gaitan, the first Mexican chef to earn a Michelin star, and James Beard award-winner Rick Bayless.
Carlos combined these influences into something completely original – a menu that is both rich with history and bursting with vibrant new flavors. Carlos shared a glimpse at this history, and some of the inspiration behind his fresh take on tradition.
A Menu Full of Memories
“It's all about the memories,” said Carlos. “I think that's the reason why all the flavors, all the smells, got stuck in my brain in some way.”
Whether he knew it or not at the time, those memories would have a profound impact on Carlos.
“I was just a little kid,” he said, “playing around with his grandma, smelling all the delicious food that she used to cook. I think that was one of my first connections with food.”
Keeping the Connection Alive
That connection with food ran through his entire family. Carlos remembers that his father also used to go to the local food market every single morning. He has vivid memories of occasionally accompanying him on these trips.
“I loved to see him walking through all the places. He knew where to go – all the smells again, all the noises around the market – I could hear Spanish speakers and Zapotec speakers too,” recalled Carlos.
“You can still listen to the Zapotec language in my hometown, in the market,” said Carlos, “which is something you don't see everywhere.”
You may not see Zapotec everywhere, but you can definitely see it on the menu as Istmo. In fact, the cuisine and language are so deeply interwoven that Carlos includes an extensive glossary of Zapotec terms with his menu.
Five Takeaways From Our Chat With Chef Carlos
The glossary is just one of the special steps Carlos has taken to provide an authentic and immersive experience for diners. And as it turns out, Carlos has been curating incredible dining experiences his whole life.
Check out the full episode above to find out what happened when he prepared a full chicken and spaghetti birthday dinner for his mother and her friends when he was just nine years old.
And for a few more of our favorite moments from our chat with Carlos, read on.
1. Rediscover Your Own Culture
Carlos may have been raised in a food-centric culture, but it was only when he was separated from that culture that everything changed. When Carlos was 17, he spent one year as an exchange student in Finland. He made a startling realization upon arriving there.
“Nobody from Finland had experienced Mexican food,” he told us. If he wanted to enjoy the flavors and smells from home, he would have to create them himself. “So I had to relearn my own culture,” he said. “And that made me want to learn more and more. That curiosity triggered my love for food and for ingredients.”
The more he learned about these ingredients, the more Carlos began to think of food as a way of connecting people, places, and cultures. “I think I realized that knowing where the ingredients come from – you kind of travel through the world,” said Carlos “Trying different dishes takes you to other countries.”
2. Running a Kitchen Is a Team Sport
That wasn’t the only important lesson Carlos brought with him from Finland. Remarkably, Carlos briefly played pro football (or “soccer” to American readers) while still in high school. This experience would also help prepare Carlos to run his own kitchen.
“I joined the Fifth League of Finland.” Carlos told us. “We actually won that tournament. We went to the Fourth League, and that's when I left school to play for a couple months before I had to come back to Mexico.”
So how did this figure into his future profession?
“The discipline really helped,” said Carlos. “Also, the restaurant business – it’s a rough industry. But if you find the right team, you can make it happen.”
3. Take Your Customers On Your Journey
While Carlos works hard to put his own spin on traditional Oaxacan food, he also stressed the importance of remaining faithful to his culture and his vision. “Be true to yourself,” he advised, “because sometimes I find myself in that moment where I know some dishes will sell a lot, but those dishes don't represent who I am, so I just flip the page and try to find another dish.”
He actually credited his own customers with this realization. “I talked about this with a couple of regulars here at the restaurant,” said Carlos. “One of the guests told me, ‘Don't dumb it down. Just keep doing what you're doing.'” The result is a completely unique dining experience – a combination of indulgence and cultural immersion that sets Istmo apart.
“I think that's the key to Istmo, where I truly try to express myself in all the dishes, and try to teach a little bit of who we are in Oaxaca to everybody,” said Carlos. “And I always try to touch tables, try to drop a dish and tell the story behind the dish, so they have a better experience.”
4. Food is Life
When it comes to dishes that tell a story, the Black Mole is the centerpiece of Istmo’s menu. Everybody in Oaxaca has their own recipe for this dish, Carlos explained, including his mother and both of his grandmothers. He also told us that it took five solid years of experimenting to perfect his own recipe.
But it was important for Carlos to get this dish right. As he observed, “I find mole is kind of like life in general. There are a lot of layers in the mole. Obviously, there are also many layers in life. You have some sweet ingredients, sweet moments in life; bitter ingredients in mole, bitter moments in life. I think when you bring all those together, you have life.”
“It's one of the most representative dishes from Oaxaca,” said Carlos. “and it represents all the immigration that happened in Mexico as well as all the spices that came from all over the world. So I think the collection of all of those ingredients represents who we are in Mexico.”
5. Do Your Homework
Carlos closed with some valuable advice for anybody who wants to open a restaurant centered around a specific culture and cuisine.
“I think you should do your homework. Study the culture you're trying to showcase,” said Carlos. “And go back, not just 10, 20 or 30 years. Go back 100 years in the culture, and you will find so many crossovers from all over. You will find a connection from Africa, from South America.”
“And,” said Carlos, “if you have the possibility to travel to that area or the country you're trying to showcase, go and dive into the market and get lost there and find yourself.”
Finding the Right Tech for Your Vision
Of course, once you find yourself, you also have to find the right solutions for the practical challenges of running a business. That’s where the tech comes in.
Whether you’re looking to upgrade, automate, or streamline, we’ll help you find the solution that makes the most sense for your restaurant. That way, you can focus on the things that matter like your menu, your team, and the experience your customers have in your restaurant.
Not sure where to start? Start by reaching out to one of our in-house restaurant tech experts for your free personalized consultation.
