Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection is thrilled to introduce Raúl Soto as its new Executive Chef in overseeing the property’s five acclaimed culinary outlets and private dining experiences, further elevating the iconic resort’s reputation as the benchmark for culinary excellence in Los Cabos.
A Mexico native with an expertise in Western Mexico’s rich mountainous cuisine and culinary legacies, Soto will breathe new life into Esperanza’s award-winning signature restaurant, Cocina del Mar; casual beachside outpost, La Palapa; al fresco daytime outlet, La Terrazza Americana; Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and bar, Las Estrellas; and ALMA, a brand-new al fresco cocktail and coffee bar overlooking a roaring fire pit and the Pacific Ocean beyond.
Hailing from a rural mountain region in Los Mochis, Mexico just across the Gulf of Mexico from Baja California, Soto developed an early passion for cooking and received his degree in Culinary Arts from the University of the Gulf of California in Cabo San Lucas. While Los Cabos is renowned for its world-class seafood, Soto celebrates the region’s equally impressive mountain cuisine, highlighting its traditional ingredients and culinary heritage. Paying homage to ancestral ingredients and cooking techniques, Soto blends the Pacific Ocean’s bounty with elevated rural cuisine to introduce a fresh experience for Esperanza guests.
“We are excited to announce Raúl Soto as Esperanza’s new Executive Chef, where he has contributed to Cocina Del Mar’s award-winning culinary program for the past two years as Executive Sous Chef,” said Marc Rodriguez, General Manager of Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection. “His wealth of experience and knowledge of native Mexican ingredients is unmatched, and will further elevate the resort’s culinary experiences, including the new coffee and cocktail bar, Alma, and the iconic Cocina Del Mar.”
At Esperanza’s flagship restaurant, Cocina Del Mar, Soto’s refreshed menus pay tribute to Los Cabos by both land and sea, with an emphasis on hyperlocal ingredients and cooking techniques. Highlights of Soto’s new menu, which changes seasonally, include Local Tomatoes with a Baja olives ‘aguachile,’ wild purslane, avocado, cucumber, and lemon; a Tatemadas Clams with White Recado butter, pickled mustard, lemon, and homemade flour tortillas; Pan-Seared Totoaba with Choro Mussel sauce, mushrooms, wild purslane, lemon, and black garlic crumbs; and heritage dishes drawing inspiration from Mexico’s mountain regions including Savoy Cabbage Tacos with artichoke ‘sikil pak,’ unripe papaya, wild greens, sea asparagus, and fermented lemon; Comondu Lamb Chops with salsa verde, ember roasted onion, pink guava mustard, and mint-fennel slaw.
“I am looking forward to overseeing Esperanza’s diverse culinary offerings and introducing a new vision and menus to our guests,” said Raúl Soto, Executive Chef at Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection. “We will continue to set the standard for world-class dining in Baja California, and I look forward to celebrating the heritage ingredients of Baja California and Mexico’s mountainous regions to provide our guests a deeper understanding of our corner of the world’s cuisine.”
Also new to Esperanza’s culinary collection is ALMA, the casual al fresco coffee and cocktail bar, located on the main plaza on the cliffs towering over the Pacific Ocean. Specialty coffee beverages, smoothies, and teas are available alongside freshly baked pastries. As the sun sets, the ocean-view bar transforms into a casual cocktail oasis, with the Alma Spritz, made with Kumquat Oleo Saccharum, Vermouth 2PM Aperital Mandarina, and Moscato; Smoke on the Water featuring 7 Misterios Doba Yej, Strawberry-Tomato Shrub, Di Battista Bitter, Mancino Rosso Amaranto Vermouth, and Wakame Seaweed; and Malec Martini with Tito’s Vodka fat-washed with Cotija cheese, Mancino Secco Vermouth, Sea Salt Foam, and Cotija Cheese stuffed olives.
