Mexico taqueria awarded Michelin star in world first
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Transcript
00:00They've become the most photographed tacos in the world.
00:03El Califa de León, a simple taco restaurant known as a taqueria,
00:07in a working-class district of Mexico City, has just won a Michelin star.
00:13I also work in a Michelin starred restaurant in Chicago,
00:16and I heard that this taqueria had won a star, so I've come to try it.
00:21The establishment only accepts payment in cash,
00:23and until just a few months ago didn't even have a table to welcome its customers.
00:28Now, the line stretches for a full block,
00:30and the stores nearby are reaping the awards too.
00:34We started to see customers arriving in droves,
00:37so we had no choice but to set up tables so they could be seated.
00:41This taqueria, which has been in business for 70 years, won the star for its speciality.
00:48This is gaonera. It's very fine, very tender meat that comes from the back of the cow.
00:53That's our secret. And also the love we put into it, our love for this work.
00:58It's the first time tacos have been featured in the world's leading gastronomy guide.
01:04Let me show you what we do in a family dinner. Please take a tortilla.
01:10But for Jesus, who has been offering tours of the best taquerias for seven years,
01:14it's been a much longer love affair.
01:17Many people arrive in Mexico thinking,
01:19ah yes, tacos, I know it well, it's a typical dish.
01:23So I use this reference to show all the cultural richness behind this work.
01:28For this one, please dip your tortilla in the black beans to have a base of them.
01:35Add a little bit of the meat and a little bit of the purple onions.
01:39But which taco is your favorite?
01:41There are over 11,000 taquerias in Mexico City. Each one has its own speciality.
01:47This place is tacos de canasta, literally translated as basket tacos.
01:52Don't be shy with the guacamole.
01:55So far, I've only had the mashed potato ones, which is not typical in America.
02:00I've never seen that before.
02:02If one taqueria earns a Michelin star,
02:06I think it was at least 100 other taco places that equally deserve it.
02:12This is the first time that Mexico has appeared in a Michelin guide.
02:1518 Mexican restaurants received the award this year,
02:19adding a little spice to the race for the stars.