say yes

For our next special dinner, I have created a menu inspired by the flavors and memories of the country where I was born: Mexico. It comes in the spirit of Mexico’s recent Independence Day and with a great deal of respect for my place of birth.

Throughout the menu, you will find flavors, ingredients, and traditions from the two states closest to my heart: Michoacán, where I was born, and Veracruz, the home state of my wife, Estela. Michoacán is where I spent the first thirteen years of my life. It’s where my earliest memories come from. Veracruz came into my life later through Estela and her family, and over the years it became a second home to me. One represents my beginning, the other represents the life I built afterward, with my wife and kids.

I came to this country at 13 years old with the clothes on my back, some money in my pocket, and my sister’s phone number and address written on a piece of paper. It is a story that, in one form or another, lives in many families. Perhaps through your own experience, or through the story of someone in your family who first made their way here.

On my first day in the United States, I relied completely on the man my sister had arranged to help me make the journey. He made sure I had something to eat, took me to buy some clothes, and gave me a safe place to sleep for the night. The next morning, I would take the first flight of my life from California to Chicago.

Now is probably a good time to mention that I have an extreme fear of heights. The entire ride to the airport, I was terrified. When we arrived at the terminal, he handed me my ticket and said something I would carry with me for the rest of my life:

“Ten, chamaco. Buena suerte. Cuídate. Aquí está tu boleto. Si alguien te pregunta algo, tú solo asiente con la cabeza y di ‘yes.’”

“Here, kid. Good luck. Take care of yourself. Here’s your ticket. If anyone asks you anything, just nod and say ‘yes.’”

Seeing the fear on my face, and realizing I had no idea what he meant, he repeated the part that mattered, louder this time:

“Solo say yes!”

So that is what I did.

For the rest of the journey, I smiled, nodded my head, and gave my best attempt at a confident “yes.” It got me through the airport, to my gate, onto the plane, and eventually to Chicago.

Only recently have I realized how much those words influenced the four decades that followed.

When I was offered my first restaurant job?

Smile, nod, and say yes.

When I met the woman who would become my wife of more than 30 years?

Smile, nod, and say yes. This one, especially, was worth getting right.*

When I was given the opportunity to open my own restaurant?

Smile, nod, and say yes.

And now, here we are.

I would like to invite you to join us on September 25 for my newest tasting menu:

Say Yes

Flavors and Memories of Michoacán and Veracruz

We are sourcing some beautiful ingredients for this dinner, many of them tied closely to the flavors and traditions behind the menu. I am especially excited to share them with you.

I have only one request: come with an open mind and trust me. Some flavors may be familiar, some may be new, but every one of them is there for a reason.

Just nod and say yes.

Because you are part of my private newsletter, you have first access to the menu and reservations before I announce the event publicly later this weekend. Hope you will join me.

Sincerely,

Chef Santiago

P.S. One of the cocktails is inspired by the first day I spent in Veracruz during my first trip to meet my in-laws. Saying yes to my brother-in-law resulted in tasting a locally sourced sugarcane-based delicacy and, later that evening, making about the worst first impression imaginable on my mother- and father-in-law. It provided plenty of entertainment for my brother-in-law, though, and gave us a very good story. I’ll share more of that story next week.