Cumbre

How did this place come about and what made it different from the start?
It was born from the idea of cooking what we love to eat—having within reach the cravings we wished for while living in Mexico City. We always try to convey, through techniques, ingredients, and processes, that every day we give the best of ourselves.

What part of the day, space, or creative process do those who work here enjoy the most?
Those minutes before the first customers arrive, when everything is ready to receive them and the team is playing their music through the restaurant speakers, chatting casually while everything unfolds around the drinks bar, the baristas dialing in their espresso and filling the pastry display.

If someone is coming in for the first time, what should they not miss?
What no one should miss is the ham and cheese croissant roll, served with a house-made pickle and a jalapeño tartar sauce, along with a house-made kombucha or any of the breads we bake fresh every day.

What has been an interesting challenge that has made you rethink something about the project?
The city we’re in. We arrived with this project without realizing that most people weren’t so willing to step away from the traditional, as they found it different and somewhat unusual.

What influence, idea, or reference continues to shape the way you work today?
“Seeking harmony, not perfection.” That has always been our pursuit.

What place, project, or person has inspired you recently and why?
Our son Valentino has always been our inspiration to create a place he can feel proud of.

If your space could invite someone to collaborate for a day, who would it be and what would you do together?
We’d invite Pophams Bakery to host a workshop and a bakery-style brunch.

Is there an object, corner or detail of the place that has a story that few people know?
During our entire first year, we baked our bread in an industrial stove oven that could only fit two trays. That oven was almost always full and running most of the day, and to get our bread just how we wanted it, we had to manually rotate the trays every seven minutes.

If this project were a city, a book, or a record, which would it be and why?
Our project would be the EP by Larry Lovestein & The Velvet Revival, YOU. Like that record, Cumbre is a statement and a confirmation of the love we share.

Answers by Óscar Abadallan Ruiz Maldonado and Andrea Vaquero Chávez, chefs and partners of Cumbre