Hailing from a family who loved cooking, Eduardo Zorrilla was destined to be a chef from a young age. From Mexican dishes blended with elements of Italian cuisine to Christmas feasts and special occasion meals, these childhood culinary memories fuelled his passion for food.
The Italian influence came from his mother. After living in Italy, she returned to Mexico and continued to share her newfound love for Italian cuisine with her family. Olives, pâtés, charcuterie and cheese, all the distinctive flavours of this beloved European country, became staple ingredients in the Zorrilla household. These new tastes awakened Eduardo’s interest in experimenting with different cuisines in his cooking.
Preparing these unique dishes with his mother was where Eduardo found solace. Unlike other children his age who enjoyed going to school, Eduardo much preferred the time he spent in the kitchen with his mother and aunts, preparing traditional recipes or fusion dishes. Looking back, his mother and aunts were indeed his first mentors in the world of culinary arts.
The herbs, like thyme and rosemary, take him back to these early days of cooking and still inspire his gastronomic philosophy today. Using fresh ingredients to prepare delicious cuisine with skill and attention to detail is how he’s become one of the most promising Mexican chefs in the industry, something he never imagined achieving when he was growing up.
Originally from Torreón in the state of Coahuila, he still calls upon the cultures and traditions from his home region in his cooking today. This northern Mexican area is well-known for its love of grilling meats and vegetables, and it’s more than just a cooking method; here, it’s a way of life that brings everyone together around an open fire to share special moments with loved ones. And this is precisely what guides him in his kitchen at present, the desire to bring everyone around a table to savour good food and make memories.
This ethos is put forward in each of his dishes, which he describes as fresh and “carefully neglected” cuisine. An almost purist outlook on produce gives his food a distinctive touch, where the raw essence of each ingredient is showcased with respect and passion. This tenacity, precision and discipline form the hallmarks of his culinary offering at Casa de Sierra Nevada‘s restaurants.
Before becoming Executive Chef of this distinguished Belmond address in San Miguel de Allende, Eduardo dabbled in a few different vocations before attending culinary school. He then later moved to the United States to further his training, which allowed him to gain the expertise and experience in hotel gastronomy that he now proudly puts forward in his profession. Hyatt was the first hotel where Eudordo got a taste of the hospitality cooking scene, learning about all facets of this industry, including the administrative and operational aspects that are essential to a kitchen’s successful functioning. He then worked with other notable luxury hotel groups, such as Rosewood, Hilton and Four Seasons, in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Using all his past learnings and his fervour for cooking and produce, he is inspiring the next generation of culinary artists in Mexico, leaving his mark as a talented chef and setting the standard for high-quality, ingredient-led cuisine in his homeland.
