Historia

It is proudly and rightly said that Mexico is a country of sharp contrasts. It is an explosive celebration of life and, at the same time, it celebrates the day of dead people in their memory; it is bright color and soft water-paint; it is the hot taste of its chilies next to the deep aroma of it's fine herbs, it is the artistic expression of a fine brush as well as a strong stain shaped in its murals. All of these and more is Mexico, a country that stimulates the senses.

At the "El Bajio" restaurant, we are faithfully committed to the Mexican cuisine and its traditions, and within our possibilities, we integrate Mexican artifacts so that, in addition to serving you with the best and most traditional of our gastronomy, you are accompanied by Mexican arts and crafts. Cheers and bon appetite to all of your senses.

Founded in 1972 by: Raúl Ramirez Degollado and Alfonso Hurtado Morellón, "El Bajio" now has nine locations all supervised by the well known Mrs. Carmen "Titita", where we await for you to enjoy our traditional Mexican dishes. In "Branches" you will find the address and schedule of each of our restaurants.

Excellent host, mother of five children, ambassador of Mexican Cuisine, Carmen Titita Ramírez Degollado remembers her infancy between aromas of the authentic gastronomy of her birth city of Xalapa, Veracruz.

The aroma of herbs always inundated the ambience at her home; an atmosphere full of smells and tastes is part of the soul of the "El Bajío" restaurant. Carmen Titita remembers that her husband had great friends. One day one of them, a French man, came to visit him and he said: "I don't want anything else, that you inviting me to your house, I want to taste that succulent "fideo" (pasta) soup that your wife makes..." Carmen Titita adds, "That was how I understood that I could share the richness of typical cuisine, with all those people who truly appreciate it."

When she assumed full responsibility of "El Bajío", Carmen Titita, thought of a place where people came to eat "really delicious", as if everyone were invited to her house, and with the purpose of always giving the best attention to guests. In spite of this, at the time she did not think to become a professional cook, but today she is recognized as a great chef.

She has traveled Mexico and the world, to show the delights of the Traditional Mexican Cuisine. To her, the taste of typical Mexican cuisine dishes, is the base of our great culinary culture.

Carmen Titita is an example of the Mexican women, who has a successful professional career, achieved with great dignity and honesty in a male dominated society. Currently, she is dedicated to divulge and promote the Traditional Mexican Cuisine, so that these memories, knowledge and traditions last and nourish the young generations.

During more than 30 years Carmen "Titita" has been the owner and Chef of the original "El Bajío" restaurant located in the northern part of Mexico city, in Azcapotzalco.

In 2006 and 2007 in association with partners and family she opened five new "El Bajío" restaurants: in Parque Delta, Polanco, Parque Lindavista, Reforma 222 and Tezontle.

In 2009 and 2010 two additional restaurants were opened: Santa Fe and Acoxpa, and a new one in Insurgentes will open this August.”

Throughout the years she has also given cooking demonstrations and presented gala dinners featuring Mexican Cuisine at such prestigious places as:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition, she has received awards and acknowledgements and she has performed promoting and consulting activities:

*The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences 1998 Five Star Diamond Award.
*Ten years of participating in the Gastronomic event included in the annual Festival of the Historic Center of Mexico City.
*Consultant for various Mexican Restaurants in the United States and Europe.
*Active member of the Mexican Association of Restaurants (A.M.R.) in Mexico City.
*Member of the International Association of Chefs (I.A.C.P.) U.S.A.
*Three years of demonstrating Mexican Cuisine during special sections at the Culinary Institute of America, Napa Valley.
*Representing Mexico in the U.S. promotional campaign "Got Milk" on T.V. in the Los Angeles area of California U.S.A.
*Winner of the "La Llave Empresarial 2006" (Entrepenur key for 2006) awarded by the Association AMAIT and ABASTUR, Mexico.
*She was nominated by the New York Times as one of the two matriarchs of Mexican flavor.
*Winner of the prize of enterprise merit 2008.
*The Mexican National Restaurant and Food Chamber (CANIRAC) gave her its top prize: the 2009 National Prize for the best Restaurant Company.”

Her deep concern that the traditions of Mexican Cuisine would be lost, brought her to write about her experiences in her kitchen at "El Bajío" in a book, in order to leave her book as her legacy for future cooks.

"Alquimias y Atmosferas del Sabor" the cookbook written by Carmen Titita, was awarded two prizes at the Goumand World Cookbook Awards 2002: Best Chef Book in Spanish (Latin America) and Honorable Mention for Best Chef Book in the World.

Carmen, passionate in searching out the traditional in Mexican cuisine, is also enthusiastic about Mexican popular arts and handicrafts, and uses outstanding examples to decorate all "El Bajio". Special traditional pieces are bought out to celebrate such memorable and loved festival as the Virgen of Candelaria, February 2nd, the Altar of Dolores, Easter Week, Independence Day, September 15th. Among her specialties, she offers exquisite typical Veracruz breakfasts which include "gorditas" flavored with anis and molasses or filled with beans, Papanteco and Veracruzano style "tamales", eggs prepared in various ways and an assortment of different fresh fruit with "atole" beverages. For lunch there is Michoacan style "carnitas", mole de olla, mole de Xico and a daily changing selection of dishes from all over the different regions of the Mexican Republic.

What some of our guests have said about "El Bajío": "At "El Bajío" I find the traditional flavors of Mexican cooking, the variety of dishes that we have throughout our provinces, the quality of the ingredients, and a very agreeable atmosphere…" "I take my Mexican and foreign guests there so they can taste what is our authentic Mexican food".

Among the comments that make us proud at "El Bajío" is this one by Ferrán Adrià, considered one of the best world chefs, who said that "El Bajío" is the world's best restaurant for traditional Mexican cuisine.

Also, Diana Kennedy famous for her research and writing about Mexican Cuisine has also given us her recommendation, as has done the late Paco Ignacio Taibo I, a highly esteemed commentator on our culture, who once wrote, loosely translated: what we enjoy here... that what we appreciate here, is priceless.