Jimmy Shaw, chef at Lotería Grill, was born and raised in Mexico City, finished high school in Texas, and moved to Los Angeles 20 years ago. And though he sticks to food in the style of his home country at his restaurant, he can appreciate the less-than-authentic Mexican food readily available in his adopted hometown. Of Cal-Mex food, he said, “It’s influenced by Northern Mexican food, and Tex-Mex and perhaps some New Mexican and southwestern influence as well.” Learn more about him below.
Q. What music have you listened to today?
A. We had music on in the restaurant all day, so I listened to all kinds of things. I listened to Sting and Maná.
Q. What’s your favorite word?
A. Gracias.
Q. What do you find beautiful?
A. Learning.
Q. How would you describe yourself in five words or fewer?
A. Crybaby, enjoying, stubborn, giving, fair.
Q. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A. Something with movies or food, I wasn’t sure what.
Q. What is your favorite cocktail?
A. Tequila is my favorite spirit, but my favorite cocktail is a Pimm’s Cup.
Q. What is your greatest extravagance?
A. Restaurants.
Q. If you could take only one more journey, where would you go?
A. Brazil.
Q. What profession would you like to practice in your next life?
A. I love my profession. The same one.
Q. What would be your death row meal?
A. Huevos rancheros or chilaquiles verdes.
Q. What is your favorite holiday and why?
A. The days leading up to Christmas in Mexico are Las Posadas, it’s a fun holiday, with family and friends gathering and with good food, good beverages.
Q. What is your fondest childhood memory?
A. Playing in my neighborhood.
Q. What is your most prized material possession?
A. A painting of my son Julian done by my dear friend Sergio Arau.
Q. What promise do you make to yourself that you break the most often?
A. To get skinny.
Q. Who is the one person living or dead that you’d most love to have a beer with?
A. My dad. He passed away last year.
*Photo by Aaron Salcido.