Carlos Gaytan

Coming Up

Carlos Gaytan’s work sits between Mexican flavor and French technique, built through kitchens in Chicago and grounded in Huitzuco, Guerrero, Mexico. At Tzuco in Chicago, the chef-owner’s plates carry that blend as method rather than message: a way of organizing memory, training, and service into dishes that read cleanly on the pass. Before the awards and the flagship address, he trained at Proud Member of the American Culinary Federation, then moved through Chicago, Illinois, where the trade formed him station by station. That progression runs through the standard ladder of a working kitchen. Carlos Gaytan began as dishwasher and cook at Sheraton North Shore Hotel in Chicago, Illinois, then moved to chef-garde manger and banquet chef at Union League Club of Chicago, Illinois, before becoming Head Chef at Bistro Margot in Chicago, Illinois. Later, as owner and chef at Mexique in Chicago, Illinois (2008–2018), he developed the style that would define his name: Mexican flavor carried through classical technique, with brightness and precision kept in balance. He is now proprietor of Tzuco (since 2019) and proprietor of Tales of Carlos Gaytán, extending that same approach into new rooms while keeping the lineage visible.

Where They Are Now

Since 2019, Gaytan has been chef-owner and chef and creator of Tzuco in Chicago, where the work is built around place, seasonality, and design. The restaurant frames Mexico and French technique as working tools, not decoration. In that setting, heritage is handled as an active material—something used, adjusted, and put back into service through the menu and the room. A few named dishes show how that language is made legible. Lobster Tostada was created at the restaurant and paired with an Old Cuban, a pairing that reflects the same attention to balance found throughout the kitchen. Avocado Flatbread, listed as a named dish on the menu and in a recipe video, carries that same directness: concise on the plate, specific in its identity, and consistent with Gaytan’s broader culinary voice. The point is articulation, not embellishment. Gaytan also speaks plainly about the charge of representing a place many diners do not know well. “There’s a Mexico that very few in other parts of the world know,” he says, and that line describes the work as much as the message. The food is doing more than recalling home; it is offering context, making space for a wider reading of Mexican cuisine and the culture around it.

Signature

Carlos's signature dishes include Lobster Tostada, Avocado Flatbread, . Each marks a different point in his work, from the restaurant-specific language of Tzuco to the lasting recognition attached to Mexique.

In Their Words “Tzuco presents the colorful flavors of Mexico while connecting to the techniques of French cuisine that I have honed over the years.” “There’s a Mexico that very few in other parts of the world know. It’s my purpose to share it with them through my food.”

Honors

Carlos's honors include Michelin Star (2024), James Beard Award semifinalist for Best New Restaurant, Michelin Star (2013), Bib Gourmand, Travelers' Choice, and Best Design. Together, they reflect recognition for both the cooking and the room around it, from the plate to the full dining experience.