Chef profile: José Lizarralde Serralde, head chef at Carousel and Cometa

Tell us a bit about yourself

I’m José “Pachi” Lizarralde, and I oversee kitchen operations at Carousel and our recently opened contemporary Mexican seafood restaurant, Cometa. I’m originally from Mexico City and have been cooking professionally for 16 years. I joined Carousel nearly five years ago when it moved to Charlotte Street. I love living and cooking in London; it’s never boring.

 

What’s your favourite thing about where you work?

Hanging out with my team, learning from each other, and pulling together to deliver, especially during busy services. Things can get quite hectic at Carousel, so there’s a real sense of satisfaction when everything comes together under pressure.

 

What was your first job in hospitality?

I started cooking in Mexico City when I was 16. After a short stint at a fine dining French restaurant, I moved on to a small tapas bar called Zingaro in the south of the city. They were looking for a semi-responsible teenager with zero experience, and I had all of those qualifications. From there, I just kept going.

 

What do you do to relax?

A light run, a cup of tea, and some good 90s music. I enjoy cooking in a slower, more relaxed way – not in a rush – simple dishes, either from memory or a cookbook, with no pressure. Ideally, I’ll have a lie in, then spend the day going for a walk or picking up ingredients with no real plan in mind or even the slightest worry about time, and spending time with friends or loved ones.

 

Which is your favourite restaurant?

This is impossible to answer and to be definitive, but at the moment, I really like the Tamil Crown and Speedboat Bar.

 

What is your favourite drink?

Clamato with beer (Pacífico, to be exact) with salt on the rim, a stick of celery, chopped cucumber and lots of lime. I could have this on an IV every day.

 

What is your favourite food/cuisine?

I enjoy all cuisines, but my top three would have to be Mexican, Thai and Japanese. My death row meal would be my mum’s chicken soup, followed by mint chocolate chip ice cream.

 

Which ingredient do you hate the most?

Truffle oil or anything truffle-scented.

 

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?

Good services and bad ones have one thing in common: they both end, and we get to do it all over again tomorrow.

 

Which person gave you the greatest inspiration?

Different people have inspired me in different ways. My mum has definitely inspired my work ethic, but I’m also inspired by people who still smile and remain resilient despite the struggles they face – like my mum.

 

If you had not gone into hospitality, where do you think you would be now?

I always wanted to go into film or production – clearly I’m a fan of long hours and hard work!

 

Describe your ultimate culinary nightmare?

Being asked to put something on the menu that doesn’t align with your cooking, particularly to satisfy someone without a real understanding of food.

 

What irritates you most about the industry?

The lack of structural evolution. There’s still a lot of work to be done to make the hospitality industry a better place for the people who work in it.

 

Who would play you in a film about your life?

Probably someone who looks nothing like me – but if I had to choose, it would be Emile Hirsch. He’s a great actor.

 

What is your favourite prepared product?

There are a few, but I’d have to say aderezo casero, a savoury Mexican dressing that can elevate almost anything.

 

Who would be your ’fantasy’ brigade?

This is a fun one! It would be made up of people I’ve worked with and admire: Pieter Demaeschalk on grill and sauces, supported by Taylor Peddle; Rodney Cusic on cold dishes and crudos; Mercedes Bernal on desserts and bread; and Freddy D’Andretta on the pass. I’d be more than happy to be on prep for that team.