Picture this: Fiesta night in the La Vista room at Rick Bayless’s Frontera Grill with margaritas shaking like maracas, guacamole and ceviche expertly crafted to order, corn tortillas pressed and griddled by hand, shrimp and carne asada searing on the grill, and every delicious note choreographed to the Latin beat streaming into the party.

The Fiesta was a celebration for my niece Lindsay’s bachelorette, her mom Tami made the reservations and I was invited! The room filled up with Lindsay’s ‘Squad’ of 20-somethings and suddenly the staff seemed like old friends. Cristian Camacho, Chef de Partie with Frontera, Topolobampo, Xoco, and Bar Sotano in the family of award winning Rick Bayless restaurants, manned the guacamole and ceviche bar. Conversing with each customer, he customized every order. Fruity? Spicy? Extra citrus? Pinch of salt? Maybe some crunch? At the end of the evening, Chef Cris and I exchanged Instagram names and now we can all keep up with @whats.cris.cooking.

What’s your 20 minute recipe? I love making chimichurri salsa, it only takes about 5 minutes unless you make the smoky version. It’s super delicious and simple. I’m a meat person, I love it on carne asada.

What’s your favorite city? Oh that’s a tough one. I’ll say Antigua, Guatemala. My heart is here In Chicago, but every time I visit Guatemala, I have to go to Antigua! All of a sudden, it’s HAPPENING!

What’s your favorite restaurant in your current city? It’s a tie. S.K.Y. is very fantastic and the chef is phenomenal! And Haisous. I love everything about it! I went for Restaurant Week and had one of the best meals there.

Treasured find in the back of your fridge? Mochi ice cream

Who taught you to cook? I got started in the kitchen with my mom when I was about to leave home for college. After two years of college, I dropped out of accounting and went to culinary school. It’s the best decision I made in my whole lifetime. Now I love cooking with my mom, we cook together every holiday. And I finished my degree for a safety net when I graduated from culinary school.

What’s your go-to dish for company? Roasted chicken and carne asada. If I’m cooking with my mom, it’s tacos de lengua. She knows just how to cook it and my friends always ask for more.

What’s on your cooking playlist? Cooking with mom, it’s Latin music, Bachata, Salsa which create a good atmosphere. When I’m at work, rock music gets my adrenaline going for the faster pace.

Coffee, tea, or Kombucha? I LOVE coffee!! I’m a big coffee drinker. A professor introduced me to Counter Culture and Blue Bottle and I got really into it. When I go to Guatemala, I bring back green coffee beans from a farm in Antigua and roast them at home. I do my own cold brew. All the details from grinding to water temp are important.

Most stained cookbook? The Noma Guide to Fermentation by Rene Redzepi. I love fermenting things! I do my own spin off to make it my own.

Indispensable kitchen tool? Chef’s knife, one my parents gave me. It’s a Nakiri with a squared-off blade. It’s easy to sharpen and has a lot of sentimental value.

Staple childhood comfort food? My mom’s enchiladas. She always makes them for my birthday, super simple and comforting.

Three Instagram accounts you follow? Argentinean Chef @francismallman, @nomacph from Copenhagen, and the amazing fish butcher in Australia @mrniland.

Who would you most like to share a meal with? Past, present or fictional? Anthony Bourdain. I relate to him regarding culture and food. We can all be united with food and sharing a meal.

Favorite pizza topping? Pepperoni, simple with thin crust.

Where would you want to take a cooking class? I’d like to spend a day in the kitchen with Josh Niland and learn how to break down a whole fish to maximum potential with minimal waste, a skill I want to acquire. Or go to a cooking school in France with my mom.

What’s your Counter Intelligence cooking tip? Build your guacamole one step at a time, first add lime juice before you mash the avocado, then fold in onion, cilantro and serrano chile. Chop your tomato and drain off the juice, then salt the tomato and fold it in.

Three things next to your stove? Spatula, tongs and whisk.

Have you ever tried a CSA (community supported agriculture)? I subscribed to “Imperfect Produce” when I was in college. It was great! Just because produce isn’t beautiful it still tastes good and can make a great presentation.

What’s your favorite sports team? Chicago Bears and Chicago Bulls. For soccer I go for Barca.

What’s Cris Cooking? I’m kind of crazy when it comes to food. I traveled to St. Louis just to try the BBQ. On a road trip to Atlanta I stopped at three BBQ places on the way and found an outstanding, simple, comforting place with great customer service in the middle of nowhere. I’ve been with Frontera for a year and a half and am constantly working to improve my knife skills, cleanliness and presentation. I’m testing a menu for tasting that will be presented for private events. It’s exciting.

Chef Cris’s Chicken Doblada with Chimichurri Photo credit Christopher Craddock — Chef Cris’s Chicken Doblada with Chimichurri *Photo credit Christopher Craddock*

Cris’s Super Simple Chimichurri Salsa

2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh marjoram (OR 1 teaspoon dried oregano)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt for tasting

COMBINE the garlic, parsley, marjoram (or oregano), red pepper flakes and red wine vinegar in a glass or stainless steel mixing bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil and whisk to blend. Season to taste with salt. Can be blended in a food processor, but Cris says, ‘it’s prettier on the plate if hand chopped.’

Cris’s Elevated Smoky Chimichurri Salsa

Follow the above recipe and add 1 jalapeno and 2 lemons, cut in quarters, rubbed with oil, and charred on a HOT grill. Mince the jalapeno and juice the lemons. Add to the Chimichurri. Can also add 1 tablespoon cumin seeds for the next level of flavor