Episode 101: Rafael Covarrubias, Hexagon restaurant (Oakville, Canada) & winner of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Competition North American regional semifinals

Last month at the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Competition North American regional semifinals in New York City, a soft-spoken chef by the name of Rafael Covarrubias blew the judges away with his Mole-spiced Muscovy Duck dish, which combined the flavors of his Mexican heritage with influences from the work and travels that led him to his current position at Hexagon restaurant in Oakville, Canada. The morning after the competition, Andrew sat down with Rafael to discuss his childhood in Mexico, his path to the professional kitchen, and what made his deceptively simple looking competition dish such a powerful personal statement. S.Pellegrino is a promotional partner of Andrew Talks to Chefs. Episode Guide 0 - 4:55 Intro 4:55 - 27:43 Rafael Covarrubias, segment 1 27:44 - 29:02 Show notes and updates 29:03 - 43:42 Rafael Covarrubias, segment 2 43:43 - Wrap up LINKS: Andrew Talks to Chefs official Website S.Pellegrino Young Chef Competition Website Hexagon Restaurant THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW: Andrew is a writer by trade. If you'd like to support him, there's no better way than by purchasing his most recent book, The Dish: The Lives and Labor Behind One Plate of Food (October 2023), about all the key people (in the restaurant, on farms, in delivery trucks, etc.) whose stories and work come together in a single restaurant dish. We'd love if you followed us on Instagram. Please also follow Andrew's real-time journal of the travel, research, writing, and production of/for his next book The Opening (working title), which will track four restaurants in different parts of the U.S. from inception to launch. For Andrew's writing, dining, and personal adventures, follow along at his personal feed. Thank you for listening—please don't hesitate to reach out with any feedback and/or suggestions!