Restaurateur Claudia Johnson on the Global Influences of Mexican Cuisine

Today we’re salivating over Mexican food and culture with Claudia Johnson. The Mexico City native is general manager of Grand Hacienda, a Mexican restaurant with a handful of Tampa Bay locations. Her latest project is Seaglass Tavern, which features elevated comfort food in Tampa’s Citrus Park neighborhood.Dalia recently met up with Claudia inside Grand Hacienda’s 4th Street location in St. Petersburg. In our conversation, Claudia discusses the complexity of Mexican cuisine, including regional differences and the strong French influence—something I’d never really considered. She also shares how her business background influences her restaurants, and she explains how the minor Mexican holiday of Cinco de Mayo became such a big deal in the United States.Related episodes:Taco Bus Founder Rene Valenzuela on Cinco de Mayo, His Life-Changing Accident & What’s NextChef Joe Isidori Wants You to Explore Florida’s Ethnic Food MarketsMichelle Bernstein’s Jewish-Latin ‘Mishmosh’ of a Life