A Mexican taco stand has made history by winning a Michelin star.
Chef Arturo Rivera Martínez, who recently received a Michelin star, continued his 20-year tradition of cooking meat on a very hot grill at the first Mexican taco stand to earn this honor.
Michelin representatives gave him a fancy chef’s jacket, but he didn’t wear it because his 10-foot by 1-foot kitchen gets very hot.
Mexico City’s Tacos El Califa de León at San Rafael offers just four taco options, all featuring cow’s rib, loin, or foreshank.
“The secret is the simplicity of our taco. It has only a tortilla, red or green sauce, and that’s it. That, and the quality of the meat,” said Arturo, probably the only Michelin-starred chef who says Coke goes best with his tacos.
El Califa de León is unique among the 16 Mexican restaurants awarded one Michelin star, being the only taco stand. Additionally, two restaurants received two stars.
Most of the other Michelin-starred places are upscale, offering expensive seafood in elegant settings.
Meanwhile, the Mexican taco stand is probably the smallest restaurant ever to receive a Michelin star, with half of its 100 square-foot space taken up by a very hot grill.
The remaining space is taken up by standing customers serving themselves salsa on plastic plates and a female assistant who is continuously rolling out tortilla dough.
El Califa de León has found success by sticking to its traditional methods and menu items since 1968.
Every day, Arturo grills fresh beef slices until they sizzle, then season them with salt and lime juice. He also cooks tortilla dough on the grill.
After a short while— he keeps the exact time secret— he flips both the beef and tortilla, puts the cooked tortilla on a plate, adds the beef, and calls out the customer’s name.
Customers add their sauces, whether they’re fiery red or equally strong green ones.
There’s no seating available in the Mexican taco stand, and sometimes there’s not even standing room because street vendors have taken over the sidewalk with their goods like socks, batteries, and cell phone accessories.
But even if you could, you might not want to eat inside the small taco restaurant because the heat inside on a spring day is unbearable.
Rivera Martínez revealed one of the few secrets: the steel grill has to reach a scorching 680 degrees.
When asked about receiving a Michelin star, he simply said, “It’s neat, it’s cool,” using classic Mexico City slang, “está chido … está padre.”
Despite the high prices—nearly $5 for a taco—many customers think it’s the best in the city, even if it’s not the cheapest.
“It’s the quality of the meat,” said Alberto Muñoz, a patron for eight years. “I have never been disappointed. And now I’ll recommend it with even more reason, now that it has a star.”
Alberto’s son, Alan, expressed excitement about the significance of the day for Mexican food.
The restaurant’s strategy is to maintain consistency in everything—from fresh tortillas to the menu and the restaurant’s appearance.
However, owner Mario Hernández Alonso keeps the source of his meat a secret.
Over time, El Califa de León’s customer base shifted.
Previously, it attracted loyal patrons from the old ruling PRI party, but since the party lost the presidency in 2018, its presence has dwindled.
Mario revealed that his father, Juan, who founded the business, never trademarked the Califa name.
Now, a well-funded taco chain with a similar name has opened around 15 restaurants in upscale areas.
On the other hand, Mario is considering using social media for business, but he’ll let his grandkids decide.
After COVID-19, Mexico City allowed restaurants to have outdoor seating with canopies.
However, El Califa de León can’t do this because of street vendors. Customers now stand among displays and mannequins.
When asked about outdoor seating, Mario believes that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
He believes there’s no need to change something fine as it is, referring to the street vendors.
“It’s the way God ordered things, and you have to deal with it,” Mario said.
Watch Arturo grill great tacos at the Mexican taco stand:
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