Mexzine Culture Edit - Issue IV
What happens when three Máximo alums share a kitchen again? Puerto Escondido is about to find out.
Hola, Mexziners!
You might notice something different — we moved over to Substack! This is our new home.
One of the many things I love about this job is the opportunity to talk to interesting, talented people. For this week’s culture edit, I got to experience that threefold, chatting with the three extraordinary chefs behind the culinary experience at Puerto Escondido’s Kymaia boutique hotel (hint: they all shared the kitchen at Máximo a few years ago). We also take a look at an exciting contemporary art exhibition in Monterrey and the extremely fun new concept by the team behind Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City. Join us for a healthy dose of inspiration to start the week.
–Cristina Alonso, Managing Editor
Let’s Chat: Eduardo García, Vanessa Franco & Andrés Trujillo
The New Power Trio Behind the Dining Experience at Kymaia in Puerto Escondido
Dining has been one of Kymaia’s main draws since it opened its doors in 2025, with a culinary program helmed by Chef Eduardo García of Máximo. Since May of this year, Chef Lalo has joined forces with Venezuelan-born Vanessa Franco and Andrés Trujillo, Máximo alums, and the creative minds behind La Bóveda restaurant at another Puerto favorite, Casona Sforza. Cristina Alonso chatted with the trio about this shared new culinary endeavor.
After working together at Máximo, what does this collaboration mean for you?
EG: “It’s so special. It represents a natural evolution of a relationship that began years ago. After watching them develop their own voices and build such solid projects, this is an opportunity to create from a place of trust and a shared vision.”
AT: “It means so much to us. Beyond having crossed paths professionally ages ago, it was a period that shaped the way we understand cooking and hospitality. At Máximo, we learned the importance of discipline, respect for the product, and doing this with honesty. Over time, we have each built our own path, so collaborating again today feels like meeting again at a new stage, with more experience and a more mature vision.”
VF: “It’s beautiful because the relationship has evolved. Back then, we were part of a team learning; today, there is much more horizontal exchange, where each person brings their own experience and sensitivity. There is a great deal of mutual respect. I think that naturally comes through in what we are building together.”
Vanessa and Andrés, you know Puerto Escondido well through your work with Casona Sforza. What new challenges and opportunities does the concept of Kymaia bring?
VF & AT: Puerto Escondido is going through a very interesting moment. It has grown enormously in recent years, and continues to find its identity and a balance between its roots, its local community, and the arrival of visitors from around the world. On one hand, there is access to extraordinary ingredients and a very close relationship with producers, fishermen, and cooks. At the same time, we feel that Puerto is still defining its identity and what it wants to represent. Beyond hotels or tourism development, there is a great opportunity for gastronomy to be a part of that conversation and contribute to building a unique identity for the destination. We have a responsibility to showcase the richness of this region with honesty, supporting local producers, respecting the territory, and creating experiences that could not exist anywhere else. Kymaia gives us the opportunity to explore that conversation from another angle, with an open, relaxed proposal that is deeply connected to the Oaxacan coast.”
What do you enjoy most about working with the ingredients of Puerto Escondido and its surroundings?
EG: “The direct connection with the territory. Ingredients here have identity, seasonality, and a story behind them. Working with local producers and with products that come practically straight from the field or the sea allows us to create a cuisine that is honest, sensitive, and deeply connected to this place.”
Kymaia’s remote location means that guests have most (or all) of their meals on property. How do you approach this to ensure they always have varied options?
EG: “Diversity is part of the concept. We have three distinct spaces: Septimus (the hotel’s signature restaurant), Huachinango (a relaxed poolside spot), and La Cueva (an intimate, underground space), each with its own personality. We work with seasonal ingredients and dynamic menus that are constantly evolving, so that each meal offers a different experience throughout the stay.”
How is this new stage of collaboration among the three of you reflected in the culinary experience?
EG: “It’s a cuisine that combines experience, creativity, and sensitivity. We share the same philosophy of respect for the product and its origin, but each of us brings a different perspective. That constant dialogue between our viewpoints brings a richer, more human culinary proposal to life, deeply connected to Kymaia’s surroundings.”
VF & AT: “We share very similar values: respect for the product, attention to detail, and a cuisine that seeks to move people without unnecessarily complicating things. We want guests to leave with the feeling that they have experienced something authentic, connected to the place and to the people that make it possible.”
Nightlife
Bar Spotlight: Ahorita Cantina, Mexico City
“Ahorita is the opposite of Handshake,” joked the host as I arrived at this newly opened cantina-with-a-twist on Reforma, envisioned by the team behind the much-lauded Handshake Speakeasy. Sleek and modern, the space features a central bar where the team pours fantastic cocktails that pay tribute to cantina classics with a touch of Handshake pedigree – try the Palosanto Batanga, with tequila, Coke, palosanto, lime, and salt. The layout dissolves the classic bartender-customer barrier, allowing guests to be part of the action – and the team to dance a cumbia or two in between shakes. –CA
Art
Constelaciones y Derivas: Arte de América Latina Desde la Colección FEMSA at MARCO, Monterrey
Placed in the heart of Monterrey in a gorgeous brick-colored building by Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta, MARCO (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Monterrey) is a must-visit every time I’m in town. This year, the museum celebrates 50 years of the FEMSA collection, comprising a multi-generational selection of work by Latin American artists. Structured around five themes – territories, colonial structures, identities, alchemy, and abstraction and geometry), the exhibition is an invitation to explore Latin America and its art through different angles. Constelaciones y Derivas will be open to the public until August 9, 2026. –CA
Have questions or want to pitch a story? Shoot a message over to Brandon@Mexzine.com or Cristina@Mexzine.com.
 | A guest post by
|