“Fat, acidity, and spiciness.” The first words used by Daniel Rivera Río, pastry chef of the Rivera Río group, to describe northeastern cuisine are decisive, capable of immediately making us imagine the power of the flavors of the region that he and his brothers have proudly represented for the past decade. Their fine dining restaurant, Koli, was their introduction to Mexico, a concept that invited many, for the first time, to understand the cuisine of Nuevo León from a completely different perspective, expanding our vision and palate far beyond the cabrito and grilled meat that live in the popular imagination.
IDENTITY ABOVE ALL
“In reality, Koli was born two years before the opening,” says Patricio, maître and in charge of service and hospitality. “We were very involved in the ideological part: What concept do we want to manage? What name are we going to give it? What we were clear about was that it would be a fine dining concept.” At the same time, they planned to open a casual space focused on porchetta, but their passion for challenges made it clear that they had to first bet on the more ambitious project. Along with Rodrigo, the group’s chef, the three brothers met every week at Daniel’s house, exchanging ideas about dishes, cocktails, and seasonal menus, always focusing on creating an avant-garde concept.
That’s how Koli was born, a journey through those powerful flavors of the northeast full of imagination and creativity. Creations like the jacube and watermelon salad or the “brasa,” the dessert that concludes the menu, have already become icons of the tasting menu at Koli, remaining present (with certain changes) through the various seasons that the restaurant has experienced. “In all these years, we have always maintained the idea of a tasting menu, whether it’s nine or 13 courses,” shares Daniel, “although we have had to adapt the concept to seasons.” Always working hand in hand with local agronomists and urban gardens, the brothers have learned that the change of season is no longer as marked as it was 10 or 15 years ago, and the availability of ingredients now varies every six or eight months.
And identity is not only reflected in the dishes but also in the group’s work philosophy. “We have our own commandments, and one of them is ‘we are all a family.’ We are not just the three brothers: we are a big family of collaborators,” assures Daniel. This spirit is an undeniable factor for the group’s growth, which, in addition to Koli, includes Cometa, a fun and casual Mexican spot in Monterrey, and the dual concept Lumbre and Centli in La Casa de la Playa, Grupo Xcaret’s boutique hotel.
LOOKING AHEAD
The winter of 2021 marked the beginning of one of the most exciting chapters in the history of the Rivera Río brothers: the opening of La Casa de la Playa boutique hotel, with which they would bring their cuisine to the Mexican Caribbean. “The fact that a hotel of the level of Grupo Xcaret would bet on northeastern cuisine was spectacular,” says Patricio. The development of the proposal was an incredibly interesting challenge, as it consists of a dual restaurant. Depending on the day of the week, guests can dine at Lumbre or Centli, both in the same space but with different concepts.
“Lumbre is north and fire, complemented by local drinks,” explains Patricio, while Centli “focuses on corn complemented by pox and mezcal.” Working hand in hand with the Grupo Xcaret team, the brothers put all their energies into creating menus that complemented the culinary proposal of the hotel, which also has restaurants led by Virgilio Martínez and Martha Ortiz. “We wanted to bring out the best in us because they are very knowledgeable clients,” says Daniel. “For Lumbre, we went for home flavors: meatballs, cuts, a cornbread... more homemade elements but with our essence. And for Centli, we focused on corn, betting on dishes that would bring an explosion of flavor.”
Home flavors are a recurring theme in the story of the Rivera Río brothers. They
are their inspiration and motivation to continue playing the role of ambassadors
for northeastern cuisine with immense pride. “We are proud to share the
gastronomy we grew up with. Regios [people from Nuevo León] are very proud of
the industry, of football, so why not be proud of our gastronomy?” shares Daniel.
“As Mexicans and as regios, we like to speak well and have others also speak well of
our traditions and our culture,” adds Patricio. “We were given this opportunity, and
we love being the spokespersons.”
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