Interview: Bricia and Fernando Lopez of Guelaguetza

5 Written by Nikki Jong on December 24, 2010 – 5:00 am

Fernando and Bricia Lopez of Guelaguetza

Guelaguetza owners Fernando and Bricia Lopez are just what you’d expect—fun, funny, and passionate about Oaxacan fare. Following in the footsteps of their father, who opened the original Guelaguetza in 1994, this brother-and-sister team remains extremely committed to authentic flavors and traditional Oaxacan cuisine that they lovingly describe as “incredibly labor intensive.” Indeed, many of their most popular dishes are built with meticulous care, starting with quality ingredients imported straight from Oaxaca; regulars rave about the horchata with prickly pear and assorted award-winning moles. For the more adventurous diner: we hear the grasshoppers are a specialty not to be missed!

Guelaguetza routinely makes “Best Of” lists (including Best Mexican and Best Oaxacan), was featured on “The Martha Stewart Show” and has earned accolades in publications ranging from GQ to the New York Times. This month, Guelaguetza was recognized by Sabores Auténticos de Mexico for its promotion and execution of authentic Mexican cooking. Here, Bricia and Fernando shared a few of their favorite menu items, along with their take on the state of modern Oaxacan cuisine.

What do you consider to be the most significant hallmarks of Oaxacan cuisine?

Bricia: I would have to say the variations of chiles like chile pasilla oaxaqueño, chiles amarillos, chile chilhuacles, chilcostles and costeños. Also all the staple Oaxacan herbs such as poleo, pitiona, epazote and hoja santa.

Fernando: I think what makes Oaxacan food Oaxacan is the fact that it is a culmination of thousands of years of development. The pre-Hispanic cultures that lived in the area were the first to domesticate corn, and Oaxaca is where the oldest traces of chiles and spices can be found. So you can see why some of our dishes are as complex and as culturally important as they are. So it is this development of our food that I think makes Oaxacan food a real experience for non-Oaxacans who are not familiar with it.

How did you choose the name Guelaguetza?

Fernando: The word Guelaguetza is Zapotec for “mutual help.” When referring to the yearly summer festival, it refers to the seven regions coming together and each bringing something traditional to them and sharing it with the rest. We feel our restaurant is us bringing what is important to us—our food—and sharing it with Los Angeles.

Tell us about a few of your specialties.

Fernando: The mole is, of course, one of our specialties. You cannot have a celebration in Oaxaca without our mole. Although black mole is the most recognized one, the other six should not be overlooked: red, coloradito, green, yellow, and estofado. Of those, I would probably suggest people try estofado at least once.

What are a few of your favorite dishes on the menu?

Bricia: My favorite Guelaguetza dish is the Nopal Zapoteco; you can’t go wrong with tazajo [beef], quesillo [Oaxacan string cheese] and cactus. My favorite cemita [sandwich] at Pal Cabron has to be La Reventonera (named after my best friend, Yarel Ramos) with our Oaxacan chorizo, made from scratch…delicious!

Fernando: My go-to dish was always Alambres. It’s a combination of thinly cut tazajo, onions, bell peppers, and melted quesillo. I would eat it all the time! Seriously, ALL the time. So now, I just eat everything. Right now, one of my favorite dishes is the Taco de Barbacoa: barbacoa goat meat, marinated, inside a huge handmade tortilla with a barbacoa dipping broth. Delicious.

Where do you source your ingredients from?

Bricia: I would say that 70 percent of our core ingredients are imported straight from Oaxaca.

Fernando: One of the things we are most proud of is our tlayudas that are made by a group of women in a small village named Magdalena Teitipac and I think this makes a big difference. We know [these women] and know what kind of ingredients and effort they put into the product. So when we serve the tlayuda, we feel it’s the closest you can come to eating a real tlayuda short of going to Oaxaca.

How has modern Oaxacan cuisine evolved from its roots?

Bricia: There are chefs in Oaxaca doing amazing things with Oaxacan cuisine; three of my favorites are Alejandro Ruiz, Jose Manuel Baños and Jose Luis Diaz. The love they have for Oaxaca and their roots is reflected in every dish. You can taste the authenticity in each creation. They are geniuses in combining Oaxacan flavors with modern techniques.

What are the most popular beverages you serve?

Bricia: Horchata beats any of our other beverages by far. It’s made 100 percent out of rice, then topped with prickly pear (which we import from Oaxaca), cantaloupe and walnuts.

Fernando: The michelada is definitely one of the top sellers. It’s a special mixture that you add a beer to, [which] makes it an entirely new drink. It’s bold and spicy, and goes perfectly with most of our dishes. I would tell you more of what’s in it, but I’m afraid if I did, I would have to kill you.

How’d you get your start in the restaurant business?

Bricia: My father started Guelaguetza in 1994 without any prior experience. The rest of the family moved to LA from Oaxaca later that year and have been working in the restaurants ever since. I still remembering missing out on my high school’s homecoming dances every year because I had to work. My dad has an impeccable work ethic.

Any tips for diners who have never had Oaxacan food before?

Bricia: Anytime your servers asks if you want to add quesillo (Oaxaca string cheese), just say yes!

Fernando: Don’t be afraid to experiment, and expect to eat a lot.

What’s the key to your success?

Bricia: Staying focused and falling in love every day with what I do.

Can you share a few of your favorite restaurants in LA?

Bricia: La Casita Mexicana serves the best chilaquiles ever! La Monarca Bakery has delicious Mexican pastries, and you can never go wrong with a pizza from Mozza.