i. Biography
The Honours
Co-owner and chef is the title that carries the weight here: Carlos Raba holds both roles across Clavel and Nana in Baltimore. It is a working description, not a decorative one, and it points to the same thing on both sides of the line — ownership and kitchen responsibility. A black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu belongs in the same frame for its own reasons. It names a discipline built on repetition, control, and rank, and it adds another measured credential to Carlos Raba’s profile without needing to stretch beyond the fact itself. Aguachile Verde is the clearest named signature attached to Carlos Raba of Clavel. It gives the work a specific reference point: a dish with a name, a color, and a direct link to the Baltimore kitchen where it is identified.
The Craft
At Clavel in Baltimore, the tortilla work is done in two distinct ways. Corn tortillas are nixtamalized in house, while flour tortillas are rolled by hand daily. The difference matters: each dough follows its own process, and that separation is part of the kitchen’s discipline. The food is described as simple and comforting, served in a relaxed, communal setting. That tells you how the room functions as much as how the plate reads. The craft is not built for display; it is built to support a table meant for sharing. Aguachile Verde sits inside that approach. As a named dish tied to Carlos Raba, it marks the cooking with a precise identity rather than a broad style, anchoring in one specific plate.
The Career
Carlos Raba’s career is centered in Baltimore, with Clavel and Nana both named as the places where he works as co-owner and chef. Record is practical and narrow: ownership, kitchen authority, and the daily work of sustaining two restaurants. That career is shaped by manual process as much as title. Handmade tortillas, a clearly named dish, and food built for comfort and communal ease give the role its outline. The Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt sits alongside the restaurant work as a separate credential, but it reinforces the same kind of rigor. It reads as another exact, earned fact in a biography defined by practice.
Signature
Carlos's signature dishes include Aguachile Verde.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Carlos
What is Carlos Raba's current role?
As of 2026, Carlos Raba is Co-owner and Chef.
What is Carlos Raba known for?
Handmade corn and flour tortillas, with corn tortillas nixtamalized in house and flour tortillas rolled by hand daily.
What recognition has Carlos Raba received?
Baltimore City Paper Best Chef (2017).
