Staying true to his roots

Chef Ivan Chavarria Hernandez is on a mission to educate Malaysians on real Mexican food, through his Flavors of Mexico Asia restaurant.

Determined to correct misconceptions about his native Mexican food, Hernandez says: “People often think Mexican food is spicy. Although Mexicans use a lot of chillies in our cooking, the purpose is not to agitate the palate or numb the tongue. Chillies give a hint of flavour but are not meant to overwhelm the tastebuds. When you have a good, delicate tasting fish, you’d want to be able to appreciate its natural taste.”