Chef Martha Ortiz on modernisng Mexican food, 'eating colour' and grasshoppers

After opening her first UK restaurant, Ella Canta, in Mayfair, London, Martha Ortiz is formalising the cuisine of her homeland and showing people how different it really is from Tex Mex

‘I think people in the UK love the grasshoppers, they are painted gold and look like Mexican jewels’ (Pepe Molina)

What’s behind the name, Ella Canta?

I think Ella Canta is a beautiful name that embodies femininity and female pride. It represents the fact that cooking is a complete entity – it involves passion and beauty and it is a symphony – it is a complete concept.

How similar is Ella Canta to your Mexican flagship restaurant, Dulce Patria?

They are similar in many ways – Dulce Patria is a very poetic and feminine restaurant. I have taken inspiration from these elements in the dishes we serve at Ella Canta. My restaurant in Mexico City is the proud mother of Ella Canta.

Why did you choose Park Lane to open up and inside the InterContinental hotel? Were you not worried that people would not come because it was inside a hotel?

It was a great opportunity to showcase Mexico in one of London’s best locations and we’re pleased to be associated with the brand, but we are also fortunate as Ella Canta has her independence too. She has her own identity that we can experiment with and evolve – it is not what someone typically assumes when thinking of a hotel restaurant. It has its own entrance and its own style.

Holy guacamole – with certain panache and elegance

How have you managed to modernise Mexican food? Why was it so important that it was modern?

I have studied and understand the historic traditions of my country which has allowed me to interpret them in a modern way. I also take much of my inspiration from Mexican writers, poets, architects of today which helps to influence and modernise traditional dishes.

How important was having a tasting menu and to make your Mexican food fine dining?

I think a tasting menu gives guests the opportunity to try different colours, textures and flavours that they may not have discovered before. We also share stories through Ella Canta like the tasting menu we are about to launch, which is entitled The Flowers of Mexico. The tasting menus differ from season to season and this one for example, is more elaborate and has a very sophisticated idea of the flower cycle and its traditional use in Mexican culture.

Where did the idea that all the dishes will tell stories come from?

From my own imagination, fantasy and my wish of having a better world.

What made you include grasshoppers and how did you think people in the UK would respond to this?

I think people in the UK love the grasshoppers, especially considering they are painted gold and look like a Mexican jewel. It’s quite common in Mexico but not seen very often in the UK and adds a sense of fun!

What do you think makes Mexican food so popular in the UK?

Because it is a fantastic food with a lot of flavours, colours and brings culture and history of the country all together in one bite.

You say that at Ella Canta “we eat colour”, what exactly do you mean by this?

I have the theory that colours taste. In Mexican culture, red is the flavour of power, yellow is the flavour of the sun and the maize, green is hope and future...

The retro chic interior (Kensington Leverne)

Do you feel that being a chef is still a man’s world?

Yes but I am working to change this. I do try to hire female chefs wherever I can, and will also try to buy produce from female suppliers wherever possible.

You studied politics, so where did your love of food come from – and passion to be a chef?

I have always loved food and in my family we understand that gastronomy can be historical and cultural, so I don’t think one is too far away from the other. I was lucky enough to be encouraged by both my parents.

Do you think your lack of professional training has ever hindered you?

Never.

The interiors, food, tableware and cocktails are opulent and the whole evening is described as a performance, is this how you think food service should be everywhere?

No, I think it is part of the personality of Ella Canta. Every restaurant has to find its own way and have its own identity.

Ella Canta’s Daisy Do cocktail

Do you have to import many Mexican ingredients yourself, or are most things available in the UK now?

We do have to import ingredients and we also find many in the UK. I do think with the rise of Mexican cuisine, the ingredients on offer in the UK will improve – the flavours are strong and at the same time versatile, and can enrich any dish.

What’s your favourite dish from the menu?

I have several but I love mole and chichilo. They are the very embodiment of Mexico.

What does your restaurant do to be sustainable?

We try to help small producers and suppliers wherever we can and we also use paper straws in all of our drinks.

What’s the biggest misconception you’re always having to correct people on about Mexican food?

People think that Tex Mex is the taste of Mexico and it is not – we offer a diverse and delicious range of different dishes, changing people’s perceptions.

Who, or what, do you look to for inspiration?

I love to read, watch films and go to exhibitions. I really enjoy visiting museums and one of my favourites is the V&A in London. I love the way that curators mix themes and ideas and they have such a range of exhibitions. I am particularly excited for the Frida Kahlo exhibition starting in June – we will be doing some special things in the restaurant in celebration!

What’s next for you?

I would love to open a theatre that uses food to describe history and stories. A new way to see culture, food and arts through feminine eyes.