The Making of a Michelin Chef: Lucho Martinez

Beyond the food itself, Martinez wants guests to feel genuinely at home, to experience Mexican culture as something lived rather than performed.

Seasonality anchors his philosophy. "We're always changing, so we build around what our providers bring us," he explains. Still, certain ingredients like mamey, corn, and the aromatic hoja santa  remain constants. The restaurant offers both à la carte and tasting menus, but Martinez's personal recommendation reveals what truly animates his cooking. "If I had to choose one dish, it would be something we make with mamey or zapote," he says. These native fruits, rich, earthy, and unmistakably Latin American, capture his entire approach: taking the familiar and turning it into something delightful and new.

The Michelin Guide's 2024 arrival in Mexico was a turning point for the country's culinary scene. Em received one of just five Michelin stars awarded in the capital that year, a victory made sweeter when Máximo—where Martinez honed his craft and crystallized his vision—earned recognition of its own. By 2025, Em had retained its star and two more Martinez establishments joined the fold: Ultramarinos Demar, his elevated surf and turf concept, earned a Bib Gourmand, and his stylish bistro, Martínez, secured a Michelin Guide selection. The achievements place the culinarian in a category of one, Mexico's only chef with a trio of Michelin-recognized establishments.

For Martinez, however, the success goes beyond professional validation. "Becoming a chef is a journey. It's given me a lot and taken just as much. But there's magic in realizing I can create spaces that feed more than hunger. For that, I'm grateful."