Culinary Trends in Baja

The culinary movement in Baja California continues to garnish accolades from chefs, food aficionados, gourmands, and travelers alike for its boldness, freshness, and above all, its ability to explore and mine the full range of flavors from the sea and land.

Think just-off-the-hook or vine, organic, sustainable, and creative and you capture some of the basic concepts that help define what is sometimes known as Baja Med. (Even Baja Med is a misnomer as it is not uncommon to see Mediterranean plus Asian ingredients done in a distinctively Mexican way.) Add phrases like farm-to-table, slow food, and informal-style dining, and you get a fuller understanding why Baja cuisine is pushing boundaries in redefining the table.

The idea of using ingredients from your neighborhood and in ways that capture the ethnic heritage of the region are what truly sets the Baja culinary scene apart from the rustic heritage of Mexican basics: tacos, guacamole, refried beans and tortillas. Nowadays, it is all about a finesse and flair with wholesome regional foods that defies old food concepts of ordinary. BT

BY KARIN LEPERI | PHOTOS BY DAVID JOSUÉ