Interview Series Chef Extraordinaire - Alex Branch
Chef Alex Branch redefines his approach with simple dishes that create bold connections between the Middle East, the Mediterranean and the West. Just like patience and dedication make a good fisherman. Chef Alex, showcases techniques rooted in the Middle East, but influenced by our regionality, and carefully sources the best ingredients from the Baja California area.
by Mayté Rodríguez Cedillo and Fernando Favela · Chef Extraordinaire · BajaTraveler.com
Your cuisine feels deeply personal. If you had to distill your culinary identity into one essential idea, what would it be—and how has it evolved over time?
I would say it has become more about the ingredient. When I first started, I kept trying to use techniques to help me change the ingredients into whatever I thought would improve the dish. But through experience I learned the real essence of the ingredients and how they are what truly makes a dish. So, I believe that my true culinary goal is simplicity, and allowing the ingredients speak for themselves.
Baja California offers a striking sense of place. How do you translate the landscape—sea, desert, and vineyard—into a coherent culinary language?
I think that the food, the beverage, the service, the restaurant design, what’s on the table – the entire “restaurant experience” needs to be cohesive to where it’s at.
In Baja we are blessed in having a diverse wealth of ambiance; therefore, the food needs to express that diversity. I focus on using mediterranean flavors and recipes, and express them with ingredients from Baja. I think because of the similarities with the landscape, the ocean, the climate and the wine culture; it’s the perfect fusion.
Every great chef develops an almost obsessive relationship with certain ingredients. Which ones define your kitchen, and why are they indispensable?
Definitely seafood. Local, sustainable and responsibly sourced from Baja. It is an angular element that I, as a chef, believe in – for the type of food that I cook.
Always with the ingredient. Especially with seafood, fish in particular. Knowing what you have in front of you, were its from, how it grew and what it went through to be in front of you. These are key tools that I rely on when looking at
creating something. The piece of fish tells me what technique and preparation is best for it.
We focus on Mediterranean flavors with Baja ingredients. This of course includes wine, and the Mediterranean cuisine has such a large wine culture. So, we really lean on Italian, Spanish, Greek and French wines. They pair well with what we make.
From your perspective, how is Valle de Guadalupe positioned today within the international food and wine landscape?
Valle and all of Baja in general is in a privileged spot on the global culinary scene. WE HAVE EVERYTHING! And especially now, there is an enormous amount of great talent all across Baja.
An exceptional gastronomic experience is one that is cohesive with all of the elements that are occurring at the table. The food makes sense with the beverage, the service, the décor, the design and the concept.
Sustainability is often discussed, but rarely understood in depth. What meaningful practices—often unseen by the guest—truly shape your approach?
The enormous amount of work we put in on sourcing and maintaining a high-quality standard. We like to try to make things seem very simple, but in order to get that perceived simplicity- it is very complex. And a great testament to all of the work our team contributes.
Which global influences have shaped your vision, and how do you reinterpret them while preserving a strong sense of place?
I am mostly moved by the chefs, restaurants, restauranteurs and entrepreneurs that focus on ingredient-centric, simplicity driven and genuine hospitality practices. I believe that with these three focuses in mind; a truly unique and top-notch gastronomic experience can be accomplished .
Beyond trends, what kind of legacy do you hope to build—and how do you envision the future of Baja’s cuisine on the global stage?
I would love to leave a legacy with the people I work with. For them to be able to accomplish their own goals with my help. I believe that NAO needs to be a breeding ground for talent. And hopefully this keeps feeding the BAJA culinary scene with
talent that only makes it that much better.
BajaTraveler® Signature Closing
1. A wine that never fails to move you (red, white, or sparkling)
White
2. One Baja ingredient you can’t live without
Fish
3. A restaurant anywhere in the world that recently inspired you
OSTERIA RENATA in Melbourne. And CRIOLLO in Oaxaca.
4. Sea or land—where do you find more inspiration?
Sea
5. A perfect pairing—simple, yet unforgettable
Lemon, Salt and Olive oil – on anything
6. A guilty pleasure
Fried chicken
7. The first dish or memory that defined your palate
Roasted Lemon Chicken
8. If you weren’t a chef, what would you be…
An actor or a pilot
9. A culinary destination you consider essential today
Japan, Portugal, Greece, Jalisco and Oaxaca
10. In one word: what is Baja to you?
H O M E