A biography for Marcela Valladolidhasn’t been written yet.
“I'm not going to focus on the bad days. I choose to live in gratitude.”
“Cannot deal with cumin. We are not friends.”
“When I'm in San Diego, it's carpools and making dinner and getting the kids to bed. It's real life.”
“The more you make an effort, the more life gives you things to be grateful for.”
“Most Mexican restaurants serve fake, heavy versions of my home country's cuisine. But real Mexican food is full of brilliant, fresh flavors.”
“In Tijuana, because there's such a mix and match of people and regions and we're a newer city and everyone comes from some place else, I think we're just given permission to play with our food.”
“Escamoles have a cottage cheese-like consistency and have a buttery yet slightly nutty flavor. They are usually served sauteed with butter, garlic, and scallions for making soft corn tortilla tacos.”
“One summer, when I was on break from architecture school in Tijuana, my aunt gave me a summer job cleaning up and peeling garlic, and I got to see her in her element. She was so passionate and such a good teacher, I decided to quit architecture school and go to culinary school in Los Angeles.”
“Herdez Salsas have always been a favorite of mine because I love the authentic taste.”
“I know how to bring recipes down to the level where people with no experience can feel comfortable making them.”
“We don't eat nachos in Mexico.”
“My goal and my mission is to cook the home-style food that I grew up with - simple, straightforward, inexpensive and homemade tortillas. Nothing fancy and no cream based sauces - just tomatoes & chiles and nothing pre-processed.”
“Simplicity is key. Some people like really high-tech kitchens, where you have warming drawers and ice makers and storage for a million different things. Honestly, for me, I need an oven, a stove top, a fridge and a sink.”
“I've been really fortunate and I've just tried to focus on the work and getting people to see Mexico, its food and its culture in a slightly different light. It's tricky with Mexican food because a lot of our recipes are so deeply rooted in tradition and Mexican history. That's a heavy responsibility!”
“I have pictures with Morimoto where I'm all embarrassed and he's so serious, it took me 30 minutes to get up the courage to introduce myself.”
“I don't make mole everyday nor do I cook Mexican food every day.”
“From the time I start prep to serving the food at the table, I like for the whole thing to be beautiful.”
“Quesadillas, those are my comfort food.”
“I'm passionate about holding on to my heritage and sharing it with family and friends, and cooking is a great way to do this.”
“All of my dishes kind of have the same thing going on - I'm always going to give you the same things that I grew up with or that my mom used to make. I'm not going to use nitrogen in my tacos.”