BUFFALO, N.Y. — This Cinco De Mayo, Out 2 Eat is checking out some upscale authentic Mexican food here at Las Puertas on the West Side.
"I was born in Mexico," Chef and owner Victor Parra Gonzalez said. "I went to culinary school in Montreal, and recently felt the need to explore the Mexican side of the cooking approach."
That means weeks or months of preparation can go into each dish on Chef Victor's tasting menu, which changes every five weeks.
"We have this conception that Mexican food can be very fast, but it's the other way and that's kind of what we do here," he said.
Growing up in Acapulco, Victor didn't know many Mexican chefs.
"Being a chef wasn't for us. In Mexico, being a chef was for the Swiss, the French, the Italian. That's what hospitality towns were hiring and bringing in," he said. "Then obviously there were cooks and that was primarily our workforce, but being in charge and leading a team wasn't really a thing that we had the opportunity to do. Fast forward to now and here we are having a ton of fun so far."
Visit Las Puertas, and you'll find Victor cooking in the open kitchen, next to his sister Diana, who serves as his sous chef. They've earned two James Beard Foundation Award nominations so far.
Seven years ago, it seemed unlikely that the restaurant would get off the ground or experience success.
"We knocked on many financial doors, and it was constantly the same thought," he said. "You're not going to make it, that's not going to work out, it just won't do well here."
The name Las Puertas, which translates to "The Doors," is an ode to the non-believers. Just look for the wall of doors inside.
"There's 26 doors, for 26 people that told me I couldn't do it," Gonzalez said. "To the point where one day, we just got tired and said alright, credit cards, whatever savings, we sold our home in Grand Island, and were like let's go in."
With those days behind him, Victor has a new perspective.
"Nowadays, I think it's more a gratitude approach," he said. "At least with all the issues we've had in the city, there's the recognition that most immigrants would love to see. Which we really like."