Cetina learned to cook at Chichén Itza, a neighboring food stall in the mercado opened by his parents over two decades ago. Which is to say, he has spent his entire professional career inside of Mercado La Paloma. Cetina credits his parents with instilling in him both a strong work ethic and an appreciation for storytelling—values that remain central to Holbox today.
“My dad was an incredible storyteller. He would sit down with guests and forge these relationships—real relationships with the customers—and he would do it by sharing his story, his culture, his background.”
At Holbox, Cetina leans into these lessons, focusing not just on composing well-executed dishes, but sharing the stories behind them. “Every recipe that at some point is deviating from a traditional Mexican recipe, I always ask myself, and I ask this to my team, my cooks and sous chefs, ‘How does this fit in within the context of what we’re trying to tell?’”
The story of Holbox is one of ingredients, fishermen, divers, producers, aquaculture in Southern California, and sustainability. But above all, Cetina says it is a story of immigrants. At this year’s James Beard Awards (which will take place at the Lyric Opera of Chicago in June), he is proud to represent Los Angeles, the Latino community, and immigrants everywhere.
“Without our immigrant community, this industry is a different industry. To be able to represent that sector is very important and I don’t take it lightly.”
The James Beard nomination for Outstanding Chef tops the list of other well-deserved accolades the team has been busy racking up, including a Michelin star and a spot on North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
Despite national recognition, the Holbox that so many know and love will continue to stay true to its roots. “We’ve been very intentional in that we’re not going to change what the guest experiences or our philosophy on food is here at Holbox.”
