A Michelin-Starred Taqueria Joins Forces With Chin Chin for Three Nights Only

What happens when the world’s only Michelin-starred taqueria teams up with one of Melbourne’s most lauded Southeast Asian restaurants? Diners are about to find out.

Chef Juan Paco Hernández Ávila from Mexico City’s famed Taquería El Califa de León is heading to Australia to collaborate with Chin Chin’s Benjamin Cooper on a one-off menu that blends the signature flavours of both venues.

While here to judge the Diageo World Class bartender finals at Maison Batard, Ávila will also join Cooper in the kitchen for a series of exclusive dinners, taking the best of El Califa and Chin Chin and pairing each course with a Don Julio tequila cocktail. The collab is set for just two nights in Melbourne (June 30 and July 1) and one night in Sydney (July 3).

Although El Califa is known as a long-running traditional taqueria, Ávila says that the idea of fusing his flavours with Cooper’s Southeast Asian influences isn’t as unlikely as it might sound.

“One of the best things about Mexican culture is its ability to embrace influences from many different cultures,” he says. “Tacos are incredibly versatile and can work with almost anything. Even though we come from the other side of the world, there’s a natural connection because Mexican cuisine is all about adaptability, creativity and bringing different influences together.”

On the face of it, the dishes seem to lean more heavily in Ávila’s direction with tostadas, corn ribs, guacamole and a full taco course. But the dishes themselves are firmly collaborative. Expect corn and coriander fritters with a Thai-inspired mole, kingfish tostada with nam jim chilli sauce, and camaron tacos filled with red curry prawns.

Among the fusion items, Ávila is also excited to showcase one of El Califa’s signatures: the gaonera taco.

“The gaonera is a cut that was created by my father, Juan Hernández González, who worked with meat for more than 70 years,” he says. “As a butcher, he developed an incredible understanding of the craft, which allowed him to create a cut unlike any other. He was the first person to create an authentic filet taco, and today the gaonera remains one of our signature dishes.”

Accompanying each course will be a Don Julio cocktail, including the El Conejito (Don Julio blanco, roasted corn and pasilla liqueur, pineapple, lemongrass) and the El Chin Chin (Don Julio blanco, ruby grapefruit, hibiscus, tomatillo, serrano, mezcal, lime). For Ávila, the pairings – and the chance to judge the bartenders and cocktails at the Diageo World Class finals – are something to savour.

“We’re super excited,” he says. “This opportunity means a lot to us because, as Mexicans, tequila is part of our culture. Being able to take part in an experience like this is truly once in a lifetime. We’re also excited to try the cocktails. We know they’ll all be fantastic, which is probably going to make judging them very difficult.”

And while he’ll be extremely busy in the kitchen and behind the judging table, Ávila is excited just to be travelling to Australia.

“It’s literally the other side of the world and the furthest any of us has ever travelled,” he says. “To be able to make a trip like this for work is truly a dream come true. We’re looking forward to experiencing Australian culture first-hand, meeting new people and learning more about such a great country.”

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Don Julio Tequila. Bookings for the Melbourne and Sydney events are now open.