Gabriela Cámara: Inspirational Mexican Chef and Teacher
- Amy Toole
- Oct 7, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 7, 2021
Gabriela Cámara is a celebrated chef, successful restauranteur, and recent author. She holds a deep appreciation for connections that are made around the dinner table, explaining that,
“The more one can connect with people over a shared love of a delightful dish, the better off we will be.”
Read on to learn more about Gabriela, her experience as a chef, and her philosophy about food and cooking.
Gabriela’s childhood
Gabriela was born in Chihuahua City, Mexico to an Italian mother and Mexican father. Her childhood was full of creativity, diversity, and hard work. Gabriela’s family grew much of their own food, so from a young age, she was aware of the connection between garden, kitchen, and table. Growing up, “food was the glue of everything” and Gabriela fell in love with the way that cooking brought people together around the table.
Gabriela’s first experience cooking Mexican food came when she was seven years old and learned how to make corn tortillas. Gabriela explains that “a good meal in Mexico is…accompanied by good tortillas” and that for Mexican people homemade tortillas always evoke fond memories.
Her interests led her to study Art History in Mexico City, but she never gave up her love of cooking. Despite not having any traditional culinary experience, Gabriela was inspired to open a restaurant during her time in Mexico City.
Contramar, the first restaurant
Gabriela opened her first restaurant in 1998 while she was living in Mexico City. Her vision was to recreate the beachside dining atmosphere she loved as a child; by combining a relaxed beach ambiance with formal service, chic décor, and intentional sourcing, Gabriela made Contramar a one-of-a-kind restaurant in the heart of Mexico City.
From the beginning, Gabriela was mindful of where and how her food was prepared. One of her earliest decisions was to make tortillas in-house, and fresh tortillas are now a Contramar staple. Additionally, the restaurant prides itself on using organic produce from local farms and seafood sourced from Mexican waters.
On the page and on the screen
Gabriela Cámara has been growing into a household name and her popularity has really taken off over the last few years. In 2019 her restaurants were the feature of a Netflix documentary, A Tale of Two Kitchens. That same year she also published a book, My Mexico City Kitchen: Recipes and Convictions, about her own real-world cooking experiences. Gabriela believes that “it’s important to know about other cultures through food,” and her desire with this cookbook is for Mexican home cooking to be known and enjoyed around the entire world.
Gabriela’s Masterclass
Gabriela also teaches a highly-rated Masterclass where she shows students how to make some of her most beloved dishes, such as fresh corn tortillas, tacos al pastor, and tuna tostadas (Contramar’s most famous dish).
Her cooking philosophy is to use recipes as guidelines or points of reference. Much in the same way that Amanda uses intuitive cooking when she makes Salsa la que Manda, Gabriela sees cooking as an art form with plenty of opportunities to improvise.
An influential chef
Gabriela is now considered one of Mexico’s most influential chefs. She was selected for Mexico’s Council of Cultural Diplomacy in 2019 and she recently moved back to Mexico City to advise the Mexican president on ways to ensure cleaner, safer, and more sustainable food programs. Gabriela explains the necessity of cooking with intention by stating,
“You are always making choices while cooking or thinking of what to cook, and it’s important to be aware of all the implications around food and how we eat…”
Gabriela’s accomplishments have landed her on Time Magazine’s list of Most Influential People in 2020.
Gabriela as an inspiration
Gabriela Cámara is showing the world how to use the food around you with the intention to bring people together. Her Mexican heritage is evident in all her dishes, and she says that in her culture,
“We are all very proud of being Mexicans through the food.”
If you feel inspired to try new recipes, ingredients, or techniques, visit our Recipes page.
Comments