MIAMI.- He chef James he let himself be seduced by gastronomy Mexican from her first approach to the ancestral culture of the Aztec country. And after knowing the richness of that cuisine, he wanted to bring to South Florida a little piece of that flavor of Mexico with the opening of La Doña.
Located in the Sawgrass Mills mall in Sunrise, the restaurant It specializes in Mexican dishes with a touch of grilled seafood and typical cocktails from the land that conquered the chef’s palate.
“When I started on television, many years ago, I started traveling to Mexico to learn about Mexican culture. And I fell in love with that gastronomy so much that I wanted to study it in depth. I worked with extraordinary chefs who gave me the opportunity to learn about their culture from the inside. And it was incredible to get to know that country up close,” Chef James said in an interview with DIARIO LAS AMÉRICAS.
The menu encourages you to taste the variety of dishes, whether hot or cold, as well as the appetizers.
“They have to try everything. A mix of hot and cold products, ceviches, guacamole, that we make in the middle of the table, like what they call table side, which was something we wanted to recreate from many Mexican restaurants. And after the grill, which has always been one of my great passions, we have the grilled octopus and ribeye, with a chili powder. Everything is really super diverse and fun,” explained the Venezuelan.
In addition to the recommendations regarding the menu, the chef proposes a shared dinner to be enjoyed with family or friends, free of interference as is not usually the case today.
“I like that it is a meal to share, as it always was in my home. That meal in the middle of the table and it was practically religious that we all sat at the table every day. That was not negotiable. And that is what we recommend here at La Doña, that they ask for many things, that they share, that they talk and communicate, which is something that we have also been losing as a society. “Sometimes it makes me laugh because, for example, four friends say let’s go out and when they go out to eat, they are buried in the phone,” she noted.
He also collects important moments of his life from Mexico: he got engaged there, then returned to get married and visits the country often.
“I got engaged and married in Mexico. I travel four times a year. And I wanted it to be a celebration of Mexican culture, but, at the same time, a celebration of Latina women. That’s why she is called La Doña,” she said.
But the restaurant’s name also honors her mother and her protective feminine essence.
“I came to this country with my mother alone. Women have a level of tolerance and persistence that is impressive. So it is a tribute to the resilience of women, a tribute to that Latina woman who comes tirelessly to help her family move forward. Furthermore, she is that figure who feeds us at home, who makes sure that her children are well fed. And for me it is nice to celebrate them through what I know how to do: gastronomy,” she expressed.
Likewise, working in a restaurant allows you to be close to those who already know you through the screen or social networks.
“For more than 15 years I have been dedicated to television. Millions of people have always seen me, but I had never had the opportunity to see them. And now I have the opportunity because people come: ‘I bought your pans and your spices on your website in the morning and now at night I’m eating here and I know you. And when they tell me that it is an honor, I tell them that the honor is mine, because very few people who are in front of the camera talk about how important those on the other side are and that we owe everything we do to those people,” he explained.
Your altruistic side
To celebrate the opening of La Doña Seafood & Grill, the chef hosted a dinner with an altruistic purpose. The funds raised were destined for the Bambi International Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports institutions in Latin America in the work of protecting and providing social services to disadvantaged children.
“I arrived in this country when I was 13 years old. Many people talk about these stories as something to be pitied. But I say it so that you understand that everything is possible in this country. I arrived with 300 dollars and with my mother. I started working when I was 14 and I think life has been extremely generous to me. I have had a very privileged life, I have experienced things that not even in my wildest dreams would have occurred to me or thought of,” she recalled when arguing her reason for wanting to contribute to the cause of the foundation.
“And I think initiatives like these, where you have the opportunity to give, are important. We have to give, we earn more by giving than by receiving. This foundation dedicates all its efforts to rescuing children and giving them a second chance at life. They are children who have gone through domestic violence, rape, physical or psychological abuse. It’s like a new awakening for them. I think we have to celebrate, push and put our resources and everything within our reach so that these foundations continue to help more children.”
