Why the Mexico Gastronomic Guide 2021 arrives at the best moment

An industry that marches left foot, right foot in unison is a miracle that only existed in a Marxist utopia. The restaurant guild during the pandemic reminded us that it is not impossible. Chefs, waiters, journalists, and suppliers decided that the best fight is unity. In war, the property that shoes tread on does not matter when the inexorable is to survive. The survival of restaurants at all levels has been possible since the construction of a unique mass large and strong enough to combat an invisible bug, against a government that has done little. There is no fiercer struggle nor more human moment than seeing oneself in the other.Claudio Poblete, writer and director of Culinaria Mexicana and the guide that this week delivered its awards – the Guía México Gastronómico 2021 – has been one of the protagonists of unification. His guide comes to us at the right moment. His selection, together with that of the editorial council members who voted, gathered 278 restaurants, instead of 120 like in other years, to raise awareness in society about a reality that caught everyone off guard. Other lists reward places with expensive checks or gourmet experiences. The one edited by Poblete in collaboration with Larousse Cocina is a democratic conglomerate of what it means to eat well in Mexico. When the changing traffic light allowed it, going out to expose oneself had to be a transcendent experience. Dining in a restaurant stopped being a commodity to become a paragliding flight. Those who made the adventure worthwhile had to be rewarded. Such is the case of Máximo, the new spot by Lalo García with a new location and renewed concept. Its value and quality earned it the award for Best Restaurant in Mexico. Those who, with all resilience, endured more strongly were equally recognized.The guide touches every tone of the national restaurant rainbow: the traditional ones, like Panchos in CDMX, or Los Curricanes in Tampico; the traditional ones, like La Teca in Oaxaca; the hipster buzz ones, like Elly’s in CDMX, or Cara de Vaca in Monterrey; the hotel ones, like Ha’; and even the author ones, like Alcalde in Guadalajara or Maizal in Puebla. And of course, as during the pandemic the phrase “going out to eat” had to be redefined to its core, the private home became the territory to conquer for great chefs. Some projects emerged in locations with no interior design, without even a dining room – the so-called dark kitchens – so that iconic dishes would arrive at one’s doorstep. What months those were of not stepping outside and waiting for contact with the outside world through a bite. Under that premise, the guide recognizes the work of Gaby Ruiz with Siempre Carmela, or Salvador Orozco with Mi Compa Chava.Suppliers did not lag behind. Food distributors proposed, lined up, and gave us reasons to smile. From Maizajo, owned by Santiago Muñoz and Gerardo Vázquez Lugo, the making of nixtamal and the selection of the best heirloom corn was recognized. From De Garo Ja Mat, the award went to the seasonal seafood arriving at home from Baja with just the push of the “buy” button. The characters were ultimately the heroes of the guide. Mar Castillo, the upcoming collaborator of Kiwilimón, was unanimously named Journalist of the Year while chefs Aquiles Chávez, Benito Molina, Solange Muris, Elena Reygadas, Juan Emilio Villaseñor, and Jorge Vallejo were named Chefs of the Year. Their example inspired the industry to make an impeccable restoration when it was vital to put a little joy on the plate, when it was urgent to raise the guild's flag and be a voice.The reasons to laugh pendulated last year. The virus taught us that we must appreciate the pleasures that once seemed commonplace. This guide recognizes that what we called superfluous in previous years can be a connection to life. Those things that made us connect with higher frequencies, touch our humanity, had to be applauded, placed under the bright spotlight of “Thank you.”