i. Biography
Coming Up
The line from El Celler de Can Roca to Mugaritz established the working frame for Oswaldo Oliva: kitchens where technique and thought are treated as one practice, not separate lanes. That training was later extended in classrooms and institutional settings, where food was approached as memory, culture, and place rather than only production.
Where They Are Now
At Lorea in Mexico City, ownership and cooking sit together in Oswaldo Oliva’s practice. The restaurant is the present point of return in a career that moved through Spain, back into Mexico, and into a stated commitment to a project he names plainly as his life's work. The menu language at Lorea uses season and terrain as structuring tools. HUMO is built as a season, with smoke treated as an organizing idea tied to geology, ritual, and volcanic vineyards. In that framework, smoke is handled as more than flavor or char; it is used to carry context, memory, and ceremony through a menu. Two dishes show how that point of view lands on the plate. Black aguachile with cured fish pushes a familiar form into a darker register, while chileatole and squash works a Mexican format through vegetable depth and restraint. Both read as rooted compositions: aware of lineage, but not locked into repetition. As Oswaldo Oliva puts it, “That is Lorea's philosophy: observation and surprise as instruments to reveal the depth of Mexican culture.”
Career - Chef/Owner — Lorea, Mexico City, Mexico - worked at — El Celler de Can Roca, Catalonia, Spain - worked at — Mugaritz, Basque Country, Spain - taught at — Aztil Tecnalia - taught at — The Basque Culinary Center, San Sebastian, Spain - taught at — Massachusetts Institute of Technology - taught at — Hospitality Industry Training and Development Center, Hong Kong
Signature
Oswaldo's signature dishes include Black aguachile with cured fish and Chileatole and squash.
In Their Words “Since then, I have felt a curious attraction to the ease with which food can transform moments of enjoyment into lasting memories that accompany us throughout life.” “I learned that those of us who work in the hospitality industry are also important actors in the universe of memory.”
FAQ What is Oswaldo Oliva's current role? As of 2026, Oswaldo Oliva is Owner and Chef. Where did Oswaldo Oliva work before? Oswaldo Oliva's earlier career included El Celler de Can Roca, Mugaritz, and Aztil Tecnalia.
