San Diego Food & Travel

Food & Culture from San Diego to the Ends of the Earth

  • By Region
    • Africa
      • Ethiopia/Eritrea
      • Morocco
    • Americas
      • North America
        • USA
          • Regional American Cuisine
            • California
            • Southern
              • Cajun-Creole
              • Low Country
            • Mountain
          • Tailgate Food
        • Mexico
          • Baja
            • BajaMed/New Cuisine of Baja
        • Carribean
      • South American
        • Argentina
        • Brazil
    • Asia
      • China
      • Japan
      • Korea
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • Europe
      • France
      • Germany
      • Italy
      • Poland
      • Spain
      • UK
    • Middle East
      • Afghanistan
      • Israel
    • Travel
      • USA
      • Europe
      • Middle East
  • History, Styles, Etc.
    • Culinary History
    • Modern Gastronomy
    • Slow Food
    • Fusion
    • Kosher
      • Kosher Fusion
    • Vegetarian
    • Fine Dining
    • Street Food
    • Comfort Food
    • Holiday Food
  • Publications
    • Articles
    • Reviews
    • San Diego CityBeat
      • The World Fare
    • L’Chaim San Diego Magazine
  • Recipes
  • News
  • Commentary
  • Other
    • Restaurant Reviews
      • San Diego
      • Baja
    • Food Truck Reviews
    • Market Reviews
    • Other
  • Video
  • Contact Me
    • About Michael A. Gardiner

WORLD FARE: At El Jardín, it’s about the food, not the TV chef

April 2, 2019 mgardiner

The greatest impediment to understanding some people—and even some restaurants—is figuring out which storyline to follow. Sometimes there are so many varying angles and storylines, one’s spoiled for choice. Pull on one string, one picture presents itself; pull on another, and an entirely different story emerges. That seems to be the case with chef Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins and her El Jardín (2885 Perry Road) restaurant in Liberty Station.

There’s the story of Zepeda-Wilkins’ TV career: from darling of Top Chef Mexico (Season 2) to bad girl of Top Chef (Season 15) in America. She was also a total badass on Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen. There’s her personal story: kicked out of the house at 15 and a single mother within three years. There’s the story arc of her career: working for Rancho La Puerta’s Denise Roa, then two-time James Beard Award winner Gavin Kaysen, before taking the helm under Javier Plascencia at the short-lived, but late-lamented, Bracero Cocina de Raiz.

And there’s no shortage of story threads to choose from with El Jardín itself. Is it about the role of women in the building and assembling of Mexican cuisine? Is it about the richness, variety and depth of Mexico’s regional cuisines? Is it a politico-social statement or one that’s more socio-historical?

Based on multiple visits, I’d say it’s simply a culinary story, but with the other streams feeding into that.

Read more at http://sdcitybeat.com/food-drink/the-world-fare/at-el-jardín-it’s-about-the-food-not-the-tv-chef/

 

Baja, Baja, By Region, Comfort Food, Culinary History, Fine Dining, History, Styles, Etc., Mexico, North America, Publications, Restaurant Reviews, San Diego, San Diego CityBeat, Slow Food, Street Food, The World Fare chilaquiles divorciados, CityBeat, Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins, El Jardin, fava tlacoyo, octopus tikin xic, San Diego CityBeat, The World Fare, Top Chef, Top Chef Mexico, World Fare

Search

  • Email
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Join the Mailing List

RECENT POSTS

  • MODERN KOSHER: Cookbook Cover Reveal
  • SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE: How Bánh Mì Stacks Up
  • WORLD FARE: The Taste of a New Generation
  • WORLD FARE: Delicious Opulence at Animae
  • SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE: Unrushed Rice

Tag Cloud

All Forked Up All Forked Up Podcast Anthony Bourdain Art of Spooning Badass Kosher Baja Baja California BajaMed ceviche CityBeat Convoy Convoy district Davin Waite Deckman's en El Mogor Eater San Diego Ensenada farm-to-table Hot Pot Javier Plascencia Kosher L'Chaim San Diego Magazine Mercy Baron Michael Gardiner Patrick Ponsaty Podcast Progression Magazine ramen rosarito San Diego San Diego CityBeat Sheen Fischer Sichuan Specialty Produce Specialty Produce Network Sushi tacos The Art of Spooning The World Fare THRILLIST Tijuana Valle de Guadalupe World Fare Wrench & Rodent Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub Year-End Wrap Up

RECENT COMMENTS

  • mgardiner on SAN DIEGO RESTAURANT REVIEW: Lefty’s Chicago Pizzeria
  • Heather Baziotes on SAN DIEGO RESTAURANT REVIEW: Lefty’s Chicago Pizzeria
  • Top 10 Vietnamese Local Food on WORLD FARE: A different bowl of noodles at Mi Quang Mien Trung
  • M on The Most Expensive Seafood on the Rock: Percebes | Chorizo | Peas
  • mgardiner on BADASS KOSHER — Jewish Mexico: It’s not an Oxymoron

SD Food & Travel on Google+

------------------

©2020 San Diego Food & Travel · All Rights Reserved