Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

WTF at Tijuana’s “The Kitchen”

Hedonists hash out Tijuana’s identity and future

Josue Castro and Karla Navarro (top) at the Kitchen
Josue Castro and Karla Navarro (top) at the Kitchen

Post Title: WTF at Tijuana’s “The Kitchen”

Post Date: May 20, 2014

In the 1930s, artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo were in the vortex of the “Mexican Renaissance,” surrounding themselves with an inner circle of intellectuals and creatives such as Trotsky and Andre Breton. The group asserted some influence on society with regard to their views on socialism and liberal politics, giving Rivera the leverage he needed to paint as he desired and include images of communist leaders in his mural work.

While based in Tijuana, not Mexico City, Josue Castro and Karla Navarro have combined their powers of art and cuisine to bring together their own circle of influencers from the worlds of business, art, music, education, and media. Prompted by Castro’s need for space, a former Avon cosmetics warehouse in Zona Centro at 7th & Constitución was rehabilitated to house the Kitchen and other businesses desiring new space for restaurants, galleries, and shops.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Recently, 12 “hedonists” gathered around a table at the Kitchen for a clandestine meal, drinks, art, photography and some stimulating conversation about the evolving reinvention of Tijuana. El Gringo was privileged to be invited to the event, called WTF (for Where’s the Food?). Other guests included local business people, artists, musicians, educators, and members of the media. All 12 of us enjoyed 12 courses of amazing food prepared by Karla Navarro, a kitchen staff of three, and an attentive wait staff.

All of the courses were based on Baja California classics such as locally sourced fish, ceviche, quail, shellfish, Puerto Nuevo–style lobster, and oxtail. The meal was accompanied by Valle de Guadalupe wines, Tijuana craft beers, and a mezcal from Oaxaca that had been made for one of Tijuana’s top chefs. Everything was delicious!

Although WTF really stands for “Where’s the Food,” there were a few WTF? touches around the Kitchen. Most prominent were Josue’s large portraits of Baja California chefs grittily photographed in black-and-white with an S&M motif (he’s currently working on this series). Another WTF? touch was the hostess, a silent, masked model in a black bra and tutu who served hors d’oeuvres and drinks as we mingled before the event. Josue had also set up a corner of the room with lights and black paper to photograph the hedonists with the model, as well as with Karla. He explained the concept to me, “I’m a hedonist. I like beautiful women, good food, good wine, good music. And the Kitchen is a place where they all come together.”

During the meal, Josue took time between courses to further explain his vision for the Kitchen, Zona Centro, and Tijuana’s image in the U.S. media. “When people think of Tijuana in the U.S., they think of migrants, drug dealers, prostitutes. Those are a part of Tijuana, like most major cities, but not all of Tijuana. There are a lot of people in the community here that are working very hard to improve the image of our city. Galleries, businesses, restaurants, all of us working together. TJ is a cool city, and we want people to know that.”

Genaro Valladolid, a real estate agent for the property at 7th & Constitutión, waved his hand across the spacious outdoor balcony at the Kitchen, indicating the neighborhood before us. “If you look around Zona Centro here in Tijuana, all of the buildings are old. There’s been nothing new built here for a long time. The lofts here represent the first new development that’s happened in Zona Centro in 60 years.”

“Tijuana is constantly changing,” Josue told me. “In fact, the next time you come back, there will be something new, different, exciting. The Kitchen is a part of that.”

At the end of the night, we hedonists parted ways, exchanging abrazos, handshakes, and business cards. We headed out into the night unafraid, inspired, and hopeful for Zona Centro, Tijuana, and the people who are living and creating here, trying to bring about a “Tijuana Revolution,” as Diego and Frida did so many years ago.

Have an idea for an event at the Kitchen? Please contact El Gringo!

[Post edited for length]

Title: A Gringo in Mexico | Address: agringoinmexico.com

Author: W. Scott Koenig | From: College Area | Blogging since: March 2012

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

How to Get Legal Assistance When Your Car Accident Insurance Claim is Denied?

Next Article

20 Best Online Casinos USA For Real Money (2024 List)

USA Online Casinos: Top 20 Online Casino Sites of 2024
Josue Castro and Karla Navarro (top) at the Kitchen
Josue Castro and Karla Navarro (top) at the Kitchen

Post Title: WTF at Tijuana’s “The Kitchen”

Post Date: May 20, 2014

In the 1930s, artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo were in the vortex of the “Mexican Renaissance,” surrounding themselves with an inner circle of intellectuals and creatives such as Trotsky and Andre Breton. The group asserted some influence on society with regard to their views on socialism and liberal politics, giving Rivera the leverage he needed to paint as he desired and include images of communist leaders in his mural work.

While based in Tijuana, not Mexico City, Josue Castro and Karla Navarro have combined their powers of art and cuisine to bring together their own circle of influencers from the worlds of business, art, music, education, and media. Prompted by Castro’s need for space, a former Avon cosmetics warehouse in Zona Centro at 7th & Constitución was rehabilitated to house the Kitchen and other businesses desiring new space for restaurants, galleries, and shops.

Sponsored
Sponsored

Recently, 12 “hedonists” gathered around a table at the Kitchen for a clandestine meal, drinks, art, photography and some stimulating conversation about the evolving reinvention of Tijuana. El Gringo was privileged to be invited to the event, called WTF (for Where’s the Food?). Other guests included local business people, artists, musicians, educators, and members of the media. All 12 of us enjoyed 12 courses of amazing food prepared by Karla Navarro, a kitchen staff of three, and an attentive wait staff.

All of the courses were based on Baja California classics such as locally sourced fish, ceviche, quail, shellfish, Puerto Nuevo–style lobster, and oxtail. The meal was accompanied by Valle de Guadalupe wines, Tijuana craft beers, and a mezcal from Oaxaca that had been made for one of Tijuana’s top chefs. Everything was delicious!

Although WTF really stands for “Where’s the Food,” there were a few WTF? touches around the Kitchen. Most prominent were Josue’s large portraits of Baja California chefs grittily photographed in black-and-white with an S&M motif (he’s currently working on this series). Another WTF? touch was the hostess, a silent, masked model in a black bra and tutu who served hors d’oeuvres and drinks as we mingled before the event. Josue had also set up a corner of the room with lights and black paper to photograph the hedonists with the model, as well as with Karla. He explained the concept to me, “I’m a hedonist. I like beautiful women, good food, good wine, good music. And the Kitchen is a place where they all come together.”

During the meal, Josue took time between courses to further explain his vision for the Kitchen, Zona Centro, and Tijuana’s image in the U.S. media. “When people think of Tijuana in the U.S., they think of migrants, drug dealers, prostitutes. Those are a part of Tijuana, like most major cities, but not all of Tijuana. There are a lot of people in the community here that are working very hard to improve the image of our city. Galleries, businesses, restaurants, all of us working together. TJ is a cool city, and we want people to know that.”

Genaro Valladolid, a real estate agent for the property at 7th & Constitutión, waved his hand across the spacious outdoor balcony at the Kitchen, indicating the neighborhood before us. “If you look around Zona Centro here in Tijuana, all of the buildings are old. There’s been nothing new built here for a long time. The lofts here represent the first new development that’s happened in Zona Centro in 60 years.”

“Tijuana is constantly changing,” Josue told me. “In fact, the next time you come back, there will be something new, different, exciting. The Kitchen is a part of that.”

At the end of the night, we hedonists parted ways, exchanging abrazos, handshakes, and business cards. We headed out into the night unafraid, inspired, and hopeful for Zona Centro, Tijuana, and the people who are living and creating here, trying to bring about a “Tijuana Revolution,” as Diego and Frida did so many years ago.

Have an idea for an event at the Kitchen? Please contact El Gringo!

[Post edited for length]

Title: A Gringo in Mexico | Address: agringoinmexico.com

Author: W. Scott Koenig | From: College Area | Blogging since: March 2012

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Making Love to Goats, Rachmaninoff, and Elgar

Next Article

March is typically windy, Sage scents in the foothills

Butterflies may cross the county
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.