Chef Lourdes “Lulu” Durán is executive chef at Cesar's Killer Margaritas, 2924 N. Broadway; killermargaritas.com
Cesar's is a family affair, as Durán is joined by her sister Sandra “Sandy” Sánchez and brother Israel Sánchez in celebrating the flavors of Mexico's regional cuisine at the popular restaurant.
At the age of 8, her parents opened Cesar’s, and although Cesar’s has always been a part of her, she officially joined the team when she began waiting tables at 15. At 21, she became the manager, and at 25, Lulu began contributing to the menu; her most notable addition to the offerings is the vegan menu she created earlier this year. (Customers have responded very well to the menu, and are shocked to find out how much carrots can taste like meat!)
In an interview with the Sun-Times earlier this year, Duran revealed their late parents "instilled a love of cooking in the siblings from a young age." Their culinary journey in Chicago "began with backstage catering gigs for downtown events like Viva Chicago and the Pan-American Festival, where they’d provide food for musicians and their teams."
As the name proclaims, Cesar’s is famous for enormous margaritas, the perfect pairing for a menu filled with traditional Mexican fare.
Chef Duran shares one of her favorite holiday recipes:
"There are many variations to this dish, and each depends what region you’re from. That will make the difference in the color, protein choice and toppings! Our Mami's pozole is a blend of our family's recipe and lifestyle changes. In Mexico City, traditionally, when you eat pozole it is accompanied by tostadas, topped with sour cream, crumbled queso fresco and salsa of choice — typically a chile de arbol-based salsa.
"Making pozole is a beautiful example of our culture; it is a communal affair. It has deep roots in pre-Columbian Mexico, originating from the Aztec people. It's a humble dish, rooted in local ingredients such as pork and corn. Nowadays it's adapted to trends and what we have easily available.
"Through food, our culture and traditions are preserved, which allows us to share with our community, while we continue to explore new connections and meanings to the food we make."
"My culture is synonymous with food, it's a love language, and I always cook from my heart. As I reflect on growing up in my mother’s kitchen and sharing her passion for cooking, it is the greatest gift she could have given me.
"My culture, our Mexican culture reflects who we are, where we descend from and where we find ourselves today. Our mother was very specific in her cooking style; she was very methodical. From the ‘mise en place’ to the final product, it was imperative that you cleaned as you cooked, that your ingredients were clean, prepped and ready to go.
"It was the little things that made my mom’s cooking so beautiful, from making sure all the spices were carefully wrapped in cheesecloth so that your guests don't bite down on a whole peppercorn, to the elusive whole garlic clove that could be confused with a piece of hominy, to making sure the pieces of meat were the perfect bite size, so that it took the thinking out of eating and really connecting with the food.
"As I get older, I find myself taking moments here and there to really embrace the process. Now that I share the kitchen with my own kids, they are curious, and I see their longing for connection with food, because it was their connection with my late mom."
