Chef Richard Sandoval, one of the godfathers of contemporary Mexican cuisine, is not only an influential Denver restaurateur, he’s a successful, multi-award-winning player on the national, and now international, dining scene.
Born in Mexico City, Sandoval trained at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America before opening a slew of restaurants over the past decade.
In addition to his roster of successful Denver restaurants (the always-packed Zengo, the groundbreaking but uneven Tamayo, and La Sandía, reviewed today), Sandoval also helms Isla in Las Vegas, Pampano in New York, another outpost of Zengo in Washington, D.C., and three branches of Maya in New York, San Francisco and Dubai.
Sandoval uses classic French techniques on traditional Mexican ingredients, and combining international flavors into old-school Mexican dishes. Achiote and truffle oil sauce, anyone?
-Tucker Shaw
