Chef Spotlight: Meet Executive Chef Jose Ocampo Diaz

We sat down with Executive Chef Jose Ocampo Diaz to talk about his culinary career and love of food and fresh ingredients.

Why did you decide to become a Chef?

Chefs always choose the kitchen, in my case the kitchen chose me. I originally wanted to study visual arts and translate it to art on canvas, instead I ended up translating art on dishes.

What dish do you recommend guests at UNICO 20˚87˚ should order?

If talking about a dish in our kitchen in general, I would recommend all of them, but without question I would invite our guests to try the chocolates from our SOOL artisan shop where the best chocolates are prepared with excellent quality products that enhance the taste of the cocoa.

What is your favorite Mexican dish and why?

My favorite Mexican dish is the Tikin Xic Fish because of all the gastronomic history involved in the preparation with the firewood and charcoal which gives it an exquisite flavor.

What is your favorite ingredient to use in the kitchen and why? 

I wouldn’t say I have a favorite ingredient but I do have a favorite tool that is Mexican that I love, the Molcajete, which can be used to mix and play with different spices producing new flavors and giving them a personal characteristic.

Describe the culinary experience at UNICO 20˚87˚ in one sentence.

Unique. You have to experience it to realize that this is the only word to explain the brand, simply unique.