Meet the first Mexican chef to win a Michelin Star

(SOUNDBITE) (English) CARLOS GAYTAN, FIRST MEXICAN CHEF TO EARN A MICHELIN STAR, SAYING: “Hi, my name is Carlos Gaytán. I’m the chef owner of Tzuco and one of my biggest achievements is probably when I became the first Mexican chef who won a Michelin Star.”

Mexico’s first Michelin-starred chef started out as a dishwasher

With the techniques he learned in fine dining restaurants

Gaytán opened his own restaurant, Mexique, in Chicago in 2008

where he earned one Michelin star in 2013 and 2014

In his latest restaurant, Tzuco, Guytán showcases Mexican dishes

that he’s carried with him since childhood

(SOUNDBITE) (English) CARLOS GAYTAN, FIRST MEXICAN CHEF TO EARN A MICHELIN STAR, SAYING: “I grew up with my parents. My father used to take me hunting for meat, and it was really amazing because you appreciate everything. You appreciate the animal that is being sacrificed for you to enjoy it.”

(SOUNDBITE) (English) CARLOS GAYTAN, FIRST MEXICAN CHEF TO EARN A MICHELIN STAR, SAYING: “My mom, she was really amazing picking up ingredients in the fields and I used to go with her and pick all those ingredients. Just to see my mom cooking with everything and being very, very creative…”

Gaytán may have been the first Mexican-born chef to earn a star

but he doesn’t believe he’s the last

(SOUNDBITE) (English) CARLOS GAYTAN, FIRST MEXICAN CHEF TO EARN A MICHELIN STAR, SAYING: “It makes it so special because many kids are watching what you do. The thing is that I don’t want you kids to be like me, I want you to be better than me. I can teach you the way that I get here, and I know you want to do that, but why stop right here? The thing is that you have to dream big, bigger than this. If I got one why not dream you have two or three? That’s the point.”