Once voted the “Best Chef in Los Cabos,” and one of the top celebrity chefs in Mexico, Chef F. Tadd Chapman is originally from Vancouver Island, Canada, where he began his culinary studies at the age of 15.
In 1998, at age 20, he fell in love with Los Cabos and opened his first restaurant, The Tulip Tree. Over 25 years, he’s opened a handful more restaurants in the area. And today, Chapman is the owner of Habaneros Mexican Fusion Bistro and the event venue, Baja Luna – both located in San José del Cabo.
Mexican cuisine in Los Cabos has, for decades, been defined by fresh seafood. How does Los Cabos influence the creation of your dishes?
We are blessed with abundance from the ocean, farms, and ranches of the Baja, and we try to find new ways to express these ingredients.
Food is a very important staple in Mexican culture as it helps identify the importance of family and togetherness. How do you incorporate the culture of Los Cabos into your cuisine?
Los Cabos has grown dramatically since I arrived here, and today, it is composed of people from all over Mexico. That said, we try to focus on the native ingredients available and express them in new ways.
What are three dishes from your menu that everyone should try at least once?
At Habaneros, I highly recommend that you try the Perogie Benedicts or the Barbacoa Chilaquiles for breakfast, the Asian Scallop Ceviche and Frazzed Shrimp Tacos for lunch, and the Chile Wellington, the Ancho Braised Short Rib with Poblano and Gorgonzola Mac and Cheese, or Jumbo Shrimp with Pepperleaf Risotto for dinner.
What’s the best piece of cooking advice you’ve ever gotten?
To have a quality finished product, you must start with quality ingredients and cook with love.
When you’re not eating at your own restaurant, what other types of food do you enjoy in Los Cabos?
I usually have my two children with me. Our favorite go-to would be sushi. When with friends, I enjoy fresh seafood dishes like aguachile and ceviche.
The culinary scene in Los Cabos has seen a huge expansion – from award-winning restaurants to beachfront favorites and local under-the-radar spots. What is your wish for the restaurant industry in Los Cabos for the upcoming years?
I would like to see the restaurants become more dependent on locally produced ingredients and less so on imported products. At the moment, most of the food grown here is exported and most of the food used is imported. This needs to change.
Are you working on anything new?
We are continuing to work on Baja Luna’s next phases. At the moment, we are getting ready for our growing season and preparing areas for our animal systems. Our goal, over the next year, is to produce more of our own food – ideally, 50 percent of our vegetables, eggs, and some of our animal proteins (pork, lamb and chicken).
In two to three years, we plan on opening a restaurant at Baja Luna, and discussions have begun regarding a Habaneros in Cabo.
This article was created in partnership with FIPROTUR Los Cabos under the private trust. See the website disclaimer here. For more information, visit https://fiproturloscabos.com.
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