Born and raised in Mexico City, Chef Juan Pablo Loza has quite a few accolades to his name. He was named Best Mexican Young Chef in 2005, he worked at several of Mexico City’s most celebrated restaurants, including Le Cirque, Ciboulette, and L’Olivier, and he was named as “The Rule Breaker” in a list of the top 40 food-centered hotels.
Chef Loza says he has always enjoyed using modern techniques to create experiences with pre-Hispanic influences. Today, he is making waves in Los Cabos – where he has resided for nearly two decades – as the director of culinary experiences at Chileno Bay Resort & Residences.
What is a typical day for you like as the director of culinary experiences, and what is your favorite aspect of your role?
There is no typical day for me. Every day is a new challenge. I start my day very early, eager to visit our outlets during every service time – from breakfast to dinner. It is important to me to be present for the team and to greet them, regardless of the shift they are in. My favorite aspect is having the power to influence other people through food. I strongly believe that our emotions are reflected in everything we do. Therefore, I like to create healthy competition and challenges for my team so that the sense of happiness and well-being is reflected in the guest experience, sparking curiosity and creativity.
Your culinary career, which spans over two decades, has taken you from Argentina to China. Which country has influenced you the most? And, how so?
I believe every place holds its own memory, but for my personal development, Spain has definitely influenced me the most. I used to travel to Spain a lot when I was younger, and that is where I started my culinary career. The thing that stuck with me the most is the efficient European hospitality, although it might not be as warm as in Mexico. But there is a lot to learn from the way they enjoy life, particularly in Madrid. For example, the satisfaction that comes from “la marcha” in Spain opens up a new panorama of flavors, aromas, and textures, that is all reflected into simple dishes – few ingredients prepared to perfection.
England was also a key place for my professional development. That’s where I learned about sustainability from Chef Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir, and how a chef can become an icon for something positive in a different country.
What are some of your must-try menu items that you recommend to guests from the four dining venues at Chileno Bay Resort — COMAL, YAYA, TnT, and El Molino Coffee Shop?
This is a hard question, because it is like asking which one is your favorite child. For COMAL, I would mention more than a menu item; I would describe it as an experience. You can start with a tuna tartare, inspired by a causa – a Peruvian dish prepared COMAL-style, mixing Mexican and Peruvian chiles. Follow that with my favorite salad – the smoked lettuce salad that includes honey and amaranth, and finish with a must-try, the blackened grilled snapper from La Paz. It is rubbed with a sweet chile adobo – a traditional preparation from Acapulco that is dear to my heart, as I used that exact recipe in the early stages of my career and won a culinary award with it.
At YAYA, I recommend the mezze as you can taste the different flavors and influences that create our concept. It includes baba ganoush, hummus, muhammara, vegetables from Miraflores, and our famous freshly baked air bread. Of course, try the pasta of the day, because that’s where Chef Eli finds creative ways to showcase her creativity.
At El Molino Coffee Shop, I recommend starting your day with a bulletproof coffee, and at TnT, try our version of international tacos. My favorites are the falafel, samosa, or, on the Mexican side, the Tijuana taco that includes shrimp and cheese.
What makes Los Cabos unique in your culinary career?
Los Cabos is a very special place for me, as I arrived here 18 years ago for my first job in the hotel industry. Los Cabos was a very different place back then, but the abundance of ingredients, and the presence of organic farms, and the variety and freshness of seafood, were a revelation to me – providing a completely different perspective from when I lived in Mexico City. For me, Los Cabos offers the best from both land and sea, with the perfect weather to enjoy a delightful dinner al fresco almost year-round. This in itself, creates a different style of cooking and offerings. I began my career in luxury hospitality here, and I haven’t left luxury hotel hospitality since then.
The Mexican government has named you as an ambassador of sustainable seafood. Can you tell us more about your role in this area, and why it is so important to you?
Around 2012, I started a sustainable initiative called, “Pesca con Futuro,” that is now supported by the Mexican Government through COMEPESCA. It all started as a result of my experience with Chef Raymond Blanc in England, and the sustainability movement there. Upon my return to Mexico, I began researching to create a map of the number of fish and seafood species certified as sustainable in Mexico, which, at the time, was only four. I am proud to say that there are now more than 50 certified species, and sustainable fishing is now a more conscious effort through a large community of chefs, nationwide, who are part of this movement. They help us promote it to create awareness in their communities. ‘Pesca con Futuro’ is now going international, where we are supporting this initiative in Peru and Chile.
The most significant recognition for me came from my son – when he googled me and noticed that I not only cook, but I also care about the environment. Being able to be a role model for future generations is the most important thing to me.
Can you tell us about the culinary journeys you like to plan for guests?
Besides cooking and conversation, something I love is taking our guests to experience the real Mexico. I feel a responsibility to share my experience and knowledge with them, as I consider myself, and my team, ambassadors to our country. There is so much that people do not know about our rich culture and traditions. These trips began with the intention to showcase the raw, and authentic, to curious guests who later became friends. I’ve taken guests on trips to Baja California, Oaxaca, Mexico City, as well as to traditional markets and towns in the Riviera Maya. With the intention of showing them the local experience, I introduced them to artisans, cooks, and local personalities. Some of the experiences include: trying mezcal straight from the alambique, getting to know the story of the family that has been producing it for years, and how it became one of the best mezcal brands in the country. The same goes for food recipes or handmade crafts.
Any exciting plans you would like to mention for the near future?
Something exciting is happening: we are welcoming Chef Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern in NYC to COMAL on March 27 to 29 for an exhilarating weekend of exclusive oceanfront dinners, and a private sunset sail across the serene waters of The Sea of Cortez. He is a chef I admire, and we share a passion for plant-forward ingredients that can be traced to their sources, making them shine as the center of a dish. It’s funny that we first met when he was a guest at the hotel where I was working, and we’ve been friends and cooking together since then. Another exciting plan is the launch of new experiences and menus at COMAL, as well as the opening of a new cocktail destination called The Bar Downstairs, providing the ideal destination for late-night vibes and creative cocktails.
This article was created in partnership with FIPROTUR Los Cabos under the private trust. See the website disclaimer here. For more information, visit https://fiproturloscabos.com.
Los Cabos Travel & Lifestyle 
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