ROSETTA: Favorites from a staple of the Mexican culinary scene

I read somewhere that the differences in early architecture across the world cannot only be attributed to distinctions in culture—rather, the availability of certain materials, and the environment they reside in; the conditions their structures have to endure. The introduction of modern construction techniques and the widespread availability of materials by virtue of improved transportation gave birth to a standardization of sorts—hence, the towering skyscrapers of similar looks metropolises around the globe seem to contain.

Food in this regard is the same. Since time immemorial, recipes upon recipes have been developed based on what can be hunted, foraged, or grown. To put plainly, the various cuisines we’ve been introduced to were borne out of necessity. Take out the convenience of supermarkets and imports, and you’re left with what’s readily available. And if you’re burdened with immense hunger, you wouldn’t be picky.

Rosetta in Mexico City takes after this principle; their offerings depending on what is provided; a humble coexistence between human innovation and nature.

Rosetta was opened in 2010 by chef Elena Reygadas in the Colonia Roma mansion in Mexico City. The restaurant has established itself as a must-visit for culinary enthusiasts around the world, having been listed as 49th in “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023,” and 37th in the “Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022.” Their menu is ever-changing and utilizes local and seasonal ingredients.

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Chef and owner Elena Reygadas studied at the French Culinary Institute in New York prior to moving to London where she worked for four years at the restaurant Locanda Locatelli, where she trained under Giorgio Locatelli. In 2010, after her second daughter Julieta was born, she opened Rosetta.

Early on, the restaurant was heavily inspired by Italian techniques—owing to the training Reygadas was exposed to. However, this would change later on as she began to experiment with various products and methods of Mexican cooking.

“Rosetta is a restaurant where tradition is kept alive and questioned, where time flies and time stops,” an excerpt from the book Rosetta, written by Elena Reygadas, shares Rosetta via Instagram.