- Folks, we have a really special episode for you today.

We visit a young chef in Tecate, of Japanese descent and it's coming to you right now.

(upbeat music) (drum beats) (serene music) - Part of the privileges of doing this show is you get to meet talented people who make up the region who enrich it, bring their culture their experiences to it and make it what it is.

You know, the, the destination Baja is.

Right now, I'm here in Tecate, and we're going to get to talk to this chef.

Young, Japanese, Mexican chef, who grew up in Mexico City, fell in love with Baja, and has won international awards.

Now while cooking and making a life for himself, enriching the region with the preparation of his foods, using the resources here in this region of Baja.

And, we're going to talk to him right now.

His name is Marcelo.

He's standing right next to me.

How you doin' buddy?

- Hi!

How are you?

- How you doin'?

Very nice, very nice to see you, my friend.

- So nice to see you.

- You know, when I first met you, I was shocked, you know, when you told me that you are not only of Japanese descent, but your full Japanese.

And when it comes to ethnicity, your parents are a hundred percent Japanese.

You have no Mexican blood in you.

You, you've adopted all the mannerisms of Mexico.

Could you speak a little Spanish?

Just so some people see how Mexican you are now?

(Marcelo speaks Spanish) (Marcelo laughs) - Mind blown.

- But, they keep speaking English to me, you know like, - The universe no longer makes sense to me.

It's strange, man.

It's great.

- My family meal will be like asado with rice, rice, miso soup, sashimi, and some kind of trying to make enchiladas because my mom was learning Mexican food.

- All these meals, all these different cultural meals.

- All these cultural meals.

It's this crazy stuff.

And you know, my parents used to speak me in Japanese but at the same time they would speak in Spanish but they would have this Argentinian accent.

- So, you know, they were like - (host speaking In a foreign language) - And I was like, "Hai" You know, like I in Japanese and answering crazy stuff.

And then like, yeah - And then you have, You're like, you're Like a (host speaks Spanish) You're responding with Mexico city accent.

- Yeah, like a Mexico City boy.

That's why I think I don't speak anything, like completely fine.

But, I communicate.

- Before we continue.

Like, can you tell me the award?

'Cause I met you at a ceremony.

- Yeah.

- That's how I met him.

I actually met him at a ceremony and he was getting this award.

Can you remind me what that award was?

'Cause it sounded pretty cool.

What, what was it?

- What I won is the national competition to represent Mexico on the Bocuse d'Or, which is the most prestigious and important culinary competition in the world.

- Oh wow.

- When I was younger, I always have this attachment to food.

And for me it was something very important in the way I grew up - Marcelo's upbringing and love for the craft of cooking puts him on a level above.

His food enthusiasm has not only affected his career, but it was also an integral part in him meeting his wife, Reyna, who is here with us today.

Imagine that.

Brought together by the mutual love of cooking.

- We met through an scholarship that is given on the whole country called, well, the organization they give is called La Fundacion Turqois - You both are winners of this scholarship?

- [Reyna] Yes.

I went in pastry and he went in in the kitchen.

- In the kitchen itself, - Oh really?

- Yeah, cooking.

You met in the?

- In Mexico City.

I was his French tutor.

- Oh really?

- 'Cause I already knew a little bit of French and he, - You know french?

- Yes, we both know and he speaks Japanese, too.

So he's he speaks four languages.

- You speak Japanese, Spanish, English, - [Reyna] and French - [Marcelo] and French - Yes.

- And you speak Spanish, English, French?

- And French.

Yeah.

- And she was born in Mexicali.

- Oh, you're a Baja girl.

- Yes.

And, I was raised here in Tecate.

- Right.

Right.

- [Marcelo] She was raised in Tecate.

- Okay.

So you meet at this school.

What happens next?

- It was like a six month program in Mexico City.

And then six months in Monaco.

- We went to Monaco together.

We were working there and study abroad.

She on pastries and me on, on cooking.

- So, your specialty is pastries?

- Yeah.

I like that very much.

- She is now into everything.

- Yeah.

Even restaurant management, and - I love pastries.

- a lot of things.

Yes!

- Oh, your wild for pastries.

- Yes.

French like have a very, - I'm partial to dessert.

So, you should know that.

So, we're going to make this interview about you now.

(host, Marcelo, and Reyna laugh) - Yeah.

- I was just kidding.

- What happened?

Nah, it's okay.

We're going to switch this right on the go.

- Yeah.

It's all about Reyna.

- So, you came back here to do your test.

Get your degree.

- Yes.

And then, got a job here in Tecate.

- Oh really?

- And, yeah.

So that's why I, - She's been working for a long time here in Rancho, but she always dreamed about being, you know executive chef of the ranch.

- Oh, yeah?

- Well, and is that what you are now?

- [Reyna and Marcelo] Yes.

- The executive chef here?

- [Reyna] Yes.

- I know that the ranch here, Rancho La Puerta focuses a lot of healthy food.

- Yes.

- Are you able to make both your healthy stuff for people here and your non-healthy stuff for people like me?

Do you still make both or have you gone straight to the only healthy stuff?

- The thing is like we're trying to find balance and you know it's, - I don't need the balance.

I want butter.

I want, I want everything.

- You can get healthy butter, you know?

- Healthy butter, organic butter - It's crazy, but ghee is very good.

- It's very good.

- It's very healthy.

- Is it?

- Yeah.

It's super healthy.

It's super healthy.

- Oh, wow!

- It's really good for your gut.

- Yeah.

I have a friend of mine, who's Indian, he like, introduced me there.

That's all he uses.

Like, ghee.

I'm like, Oh really?

Is this good stuff?

- Yes.

- But just every once in a while, that guilty pleasure should be there.

- Yes, why not?

- You know, guilty pleasures can be a salad too from time to time, no?

The dressing can be, - For cow.

For cow.

No, I'm just kidding.

I understand.

No, no, no worries.

So, Reyna comes back to get a degree to Baja.

Gets a job here in Tecate.

There like this flea-bidden town in Baja, right?

You know, Tecate.

What's that, you know?

- [Marcelo] Exactly, and the first time, she just - I just know the beer, you know.

- [Marcelo] Exactly that!

- [Reyna] I might be the only one there.

- The first time I came and I just, you know from French training and all these French chefs, you know they go and pick them stuff from the garden, - [Host] For sure.

- which is amazing because that is the most, I think passionate part of being a chef, you know, - Really?

- getting to choose your own produce, have this, you know close contact with the things you're gonna cook.

Like, I think that is the most important part of being a chef.

You didn't get this stuff in the city.

You know, you go directly to the roots and there's this natural connection you get.

That really ignites your creativity.

I still do come here every week to look for all the ingredients because I really do, you know, enjoy and nourish my food passion through that.

- You know, you sound like the perfect tenant for the earth because you're appreciating every single taste and season, seasoning and, and little, you know, nuance flavor that it has to offer.

You sound like a person who appreciates what exists, you know?

And, and you're, you're, you're seeing from one day to the next the little change this carrot had, and you're appreciating that.

You are someone who never gets bored.

- And then, she just took me to, you know, in Ensenada.

- [Reyna] Ensenada - She showed me all the amazing seafood products they have there.

And I was like crazily thinking, what am I wasting?

Yeah!

- The things I can do with this produce!

- Yeah, and that's what triggered me.

Two months later, I just quit my job - Crazy!

That quick, huh?

- One visit to your girlfriend, you know, visit her, - Changed everything!

- and changed everything!

(host laughs) Oh yeah, we're so happy here!

- Glad you took that decision.

- Actually, one thing I really do.

You know, like shocked me first time I was here.

It's like being a city boy, you don't get to hear silence, you know?

Like in the middle of the night hearing nothing.

- Cars bustling, right?

- Just calm.

Exactly.

- And right now, I don't know if the microphones can hear it, but it's just birds chirping.

This is what nature can inspire someone to do.

For some, it's paintings.

For others, music.

For Marcelo, it's this.

He nurtures with it and he is nurtured by it.

- I think the most important part of what we're doing is to make special moments and that people can enjoy that.

I think people should open their minds and food and they will have a much more happier life.

I can assure you that.

- That's how I've discovered many meals.

And, I've had friends go like, you know, but what happens when you try that new thing and you didn't like it?

Well, I learned, I know I learned, I know better.

That's how I found like most, you know, you know 8 out of 10.

I found delicious meals that I never even thought were like that good.

- And maybe those things that you didn't like it maybe you will find sometimes someone who will cook them in a way you can enjoy them.

- For sure.

- My food itself is very rooted in French and Japanese food.

- Really?

- Yeah.

- The technique, basically.

- On the technique.

Yeah.

But then, when flavors come out, I really do think I am very Mexican and Japanese.

-[Reyna] The spices, the chiles.

- Those are the both.

I mean, yeah, I do love having sashimi, you know, but having it with a little bit of spicy hot sauce.

- Hot sauce.

- Okay, okay.

- Something like that is crazy good.

- So, you're definitely doing, - You know, I love having ceviche with white rice.

- Oh wow.

That's interesting!

Well folks, it's a very interesting story that Marcelo has and Reyna.

We're very happy to have met them.

Don't go anywhere folks, it's "Crossing South".

We're gonna continue exploring this very unique couple, multicultural couple, and we're happy to be here.

Stay with us.

Don't go anywhere.

"Crossing South" Reyna prepared us a meal outdoors on the premises of Rancho La Puerta.

Healthy, beautiful, creative.

It will not surprise you to hear, that I wish all my meals were like this every day.

The atmosphere is as good as the food.

(calm music) As night falls, we head to Marcelo's restaurant in the town of Tecate.

The name Amores is the plural form of love.

Apparently, anyone who knows anything about Tecate knows about Marcelo and his place.

So I'm excited.

I, I'm, I'm ready to see what Marcelo's got going and you're going to see it too, folks.

So, we're at Amores restaurant.

We're here to see Marcelo's cuisine and we're here to taste it.

It's "Crossing South".

It's coming.

I'm gonna try, I'm gonna to try this, this is a starter dish that, you know, he brought for us.

It's chocolate clam.

It has a green apple, Baja's produce, natural wonders with Marcelo's craftmanship, passion for food, attention to detail.

Everything is significant.

He's telling a story with every single thing that he put into this.

So, let's just try it first.

This is delicious.

It's fresh.

It's tasty.

The green apple just gives it, you know, the citrusy taste that combines perfectly with this chocolate clam.

It has a little bit of vinegar and it's just, it's, it's phenomenal.

I can recommend these chocolate clams right now.

Marcelo knows what he's doing.

He knows what he's doing.

There was just this tangy taste.

Mm.

Very good.

I'm very impressed.

I'm very pleased right now with the first thing that he's brought out.

Let's see what he's got next.

Okay.

So, you got here a yellowtail crudo which is raw yellowtail with radish salad.

That's a raw seaweed, soy sauce, prepared, marinaded, crudo yellowtail.

What they're going to put right now is a beet juice with that has lime and fish stock which just sounds amazing.

Check out how it is.

Okay.

So, Fantastic!

Wow.

I could eat a ton of this.

Perfect.

- So this right here is an expression of the seasons, the salad.

So it has, you know, you've got your, your your green leafy vegetables, your flowers, this dark powder it's like a dried olives.

And, the white one is like dried corn.

He's gonna pour a roasted sesame seed dressing, which is very typical for, for, for Japan, from what I understand.

At the bottom of this, he's got goat cheese, a cream cheese a base.

So let's dig in so we can get a little bit of that too.

Let me see it's on this side more.

Look, I'll bring it out.

Look, you see that?

That's like a cream cheese that he bases it on.

Let me just try this again.

This was incredibly good.

Oh my goodness!

Okay.

Maybe you may want to turn away because this is kind of big and, What I tasted right now is one of the most delicious flavors I've ever had in my mouth.

It's amazing.

- I do not know if it's the Sesame seed, roasted Sesame seed dressing, or if it's the, the cream cheese below it.

I can tell you that the combination of it is one of the most delicious salads I have ever had.

So, I was trying to keep my composure right now as I tried it.

It is an amazing dish.

Expectation level was, was, was, was here when I saw it.

And it, the, the taste is right here, just to give you an idea.

It is an overachiever.

This salad that I'm telling you, this salad that Marcelo has brought out is an overachiever.

It's fantastic!

Okay.

So, this is a Sea of Cortez prawn or, or shrimp taco.

The half, half of it is covered with tartar sauce, which I love to begin with.

So, and this one is a salsa macha, a blend of pico de gallo and peanut.

So, both sound incredible.

Bear with me.

Let's see how the salsa macha half fairs, okay?

If I had to choose a side that tastes for me better maybe the tartar sauce side is a little bit better.

Like if the tartar sauce side was a 10, the macha sauce would be a nine, 9.5.

But, delicious overall.

I've not had a bad dish yet.

(foreboding music) Is he gonna to barbecue here on the table?

Nice and warm.

So, this is a Chinese chasi, some sort of barbecue pit.

That's very common over there.

And he's given me these slices of seasoned pork and some kimchi to add to it once it's roasted to my particular taste.

So we're going to go ahead and put it on Hear it sizzle?

(meat sizzles) So, you're basically cooking on your table.

Oh, wow.

Look at that.

Oh boy.

Look at it go.

Look at it go.

Look at it go.

Ooh.

Okay.

I want to take this off.

There you go.

(meat sizzles) Oh, beautiful!

Beautiful!

- For glory, towards victory!

- I recommend just to pick it up.

- Yeah.

- It's gonna get burned.

- Okay.

(meat sizzles) - Ooh.

Okay.

Let's try it with some kimchi.

So let's see what our, our little BBQ experiment yielded here.

Very tasty.

Not better than what we've already had.

Yet, the experience was pretty cool.

Not blow-your-mind taste on this one.

Like the other ones, but still very delicious.

The seasoning on the pork has a very almost like a Chinese food taste.

This is a truffle mashed potato tenderloin, medium rare.

- Yes.

- And this, this a roasted onion with rosemary, mustard choux which is like a gravy reduction.

So, it looks fantastic.

Let's see how this plays out.

Look at it glisten.

It looks fantastic, but looks can be deceiving.

Let's give it an honest assessment.

Mm.

(chuckles) (piano starts playing) We may have a new number one.

The funny part is that this reduction, I mean the meat is delicious.

It literally melts in your mouth.

But, the reduction that he added to it is so good, that as soon as that reduction touched my tongue, the signal of its taste reached my brain instantly.

Now, just to honor the dish and the ingredient that Marcelo on the plate, I want to try it with everything.

I want to try with everything that he put on the plate.

It's fantastic.

Wonderful!

Just gonna pair it to see how it goes with some wine.

Mm.

This kid knows what he's doing.

He's a, he's a mad genius.

I, I am very pleased.

This is a very good evening.

This is a special evening.

I will return to this place for sure.

This is the last savory dish.

It's a pork shank.

It's a braised with piloncillo sauce, piloncillo slash beer sauce.

The garnish is corn, squash, pomegranate, and pickled onion.

So, and let's see how it is.

It did not overtake the filet mignon.

But, it is very good, very worthy effort.

I just wish the outside flavor would last more.

papillon.

- Your pre-dessert.

My pre-dessert?

- Yeah, it's a palate cleaner.

- Okay.

So, Marcelo just brought me a pre-dessert.

It might be the first time I've ever had a pre-dessert, which sounds phenomenal by the way.

He considers it a palette cleanser.

So, let's see what this is.

This is a pineapple guava with yogurt sorbet.

Whatever you add anything to dessert, be it a pre-dessert or a post-dessert, I'm happy with it too.

So, Mm.

Fantastic.

Wow!

My pre-dessert is pre-approved.

Kabocha cheesecake, which is a family of the butternut squash and he's going to cover this with a caramel, rum sauce that is just going to be delightful over it.

So, let's see how that pours in there.

There you go.

Look at that.

Look at that.

Oh boy.

So anyone who knows me knows that I'm incredibly partial to desserts.

So, I think we're ready.

I think we've come a long way together.

We've been on this trip and this experience hand-in-hand and it's time we wrap this up and bring it to fruition.

Paper.

Let's break a little bit of the pieces open so that we can actually, we can taste everything.

Let's position it correctly.

Rub it against the caramel, caramel rum.

Do that.

Look at that.

Kochab.

The crust is perfect.

The caramel rum, the cheesecake.

It's, it's It has this pumpkin flavor.

You know, especially in the fall, which we're in right now, pumpkin spice seems to be something that people like a lot this isn't that family, it doesn't taste like that.

It tastes better than this, than that but it's within that family and it just makes you feel.

And, and it's, it's, it's a Testament to the fact that Marcelo cooks with whatever is in actual season.

So, Folks, after enjoying this delightful, lovely experience at Amores restaurant, I can tell you that Marcelo cooks with amor, with love.

We hope you enjoyed the show, folks.

We'll see you next time.

We're gonna to continue spending time here in Baja.

But, we hope you enjoyed the show.

Take care of yourselves.

So after having experienced food through the lens that Marcelo uses to live life and collaborate with its produce, we leave delighted 'Til the next time we get to cross south.

- We're so happy here!

(upbeat music) (drum beats) (guitar plays) Like to know more about the places you've just seen?

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