CHEF RAQUEL RIVERA
- KINDNESS,
SIMPLICITY
& HONESTY
NEVER TASTED
SO GOOD. -
Rivera has created this fresh and tasty restaurant and experiences in the Rio Grande Valley, inviting diners to enjoy her signature cuisine while tasting the Flavor of Kindness.
chef raquel
The Beginning
Tabasco the south of Mexico is my home. When I decided I wanted to go to culinary school a family friend Aquiles Chavez invited me to work at his restaurant in Houston, TX for a couple of weeks. Just to see if a professional kitchen was something that I really wanted to do. I came into the kitchen without knowing much, I couldn’t even differentiate between cilantro and parsley. It was a whole new world that I fell in love with, even with all the cuts and burns. I was amazed by this whole new life that happens inside a kitchen. I realized that working in a kitchen was the perfect combination of science, passion, art and hard work.
chef raquel
around the world
I've traveled around the world working for some of the best chefs. I've worked from Michelin Star restaurants to a kitchen in the middle of the jungle.
I've been a prep cook, butcher, pastry assistant, executive pastry chef and more.
chef raquel
bonhomia
Bonhomia means kindness, honesty and simplicity which I think are the 3 words that everyone should live by. My dream is to create a team based on these words and change up the hard environment that happens in the kitchens to create a restaurant where this sentiment is made tangible so that the customers feel it too. Being kind is the best way to live, It’s not just about the food, it is about the whole experience. The feeling of going into a place where your life stops for a second and you just focus on enjoying yourself. The smell, the taste, the little details and connection to the people around you.
chef raquel
pastries
Pastries are my forte since I have such a sweet tooth. It’s a whole different world from culinary. Dessert is something that people order as an extra, as a treat. You get to be an artist whose work is not only enjoyed visually but there’s a whole flavor profile to enjoy as well! The connection with the people is different, dessert goes straight to the heart. The feeling of creating something so delicious that can make people happy is exciting.
chef raquel
family
My family has always been a great support throughout my career. Always encouraging me to pursue my dreams and teaching me that everything is possible. You’ll see them from time to time working at the restaurant as bartenders, waiters, cooks or their favorite job of all, being tasters. I’ve crowned My mom has been my cyber sous chef, having helped me create and innovate things over the phone while I was in other countries. My dad is quality control and the wine expert who is always there to keep things on track. My sister and her husband have been my emotional support system throughout my career, I wouldn’t be here without them. And my husband, my rock, he is the brains behind the operation. Our love for food and wine united us forever. Everyone says that he is so lucky he married a chef but in reality he cooks more than I do. We bring all of our passion into every dish and detail to the restaurant, we dream of doing lots of food related businesses together and share our passion.
