A Chef’s Cosy Apartment in Cuauhtémoc
Photography by Daniel Almazan Klinckwort
For the first time this year we’re back in Mexico City, this time to sit down with Joaquin Cardoso the talented chef and co-founder of the much loved Loup Bar in Cuauhtémoc. Joaquin is somewhat of a night owl and working into the wee hours certainly comes with the territory when you’re running a popular wine bar. We spoke to Joaquin about finding sanctuary in his bedroom, the path to opening Loup Bar with his partner Gaetan and captured him in his natural habitat – preparing excellent food in the kitchen.
“I’ve been living here for five years, this really feels like my place… I love the big window with the view of a huge tree outside, it matches my plants that have really taken over the space in the last couple of years.”
Joaquin’s bed is dressed with IN BED 100% linen in Grey & White Stripe with a fitted sheet in dove grey.
“I don't spend a lot of time in my bedroom, aside from when I’m sleeping. I like to make the room really dark and cosy because I’ll often work late and wake up late as well.”
“The most special thing in my home is my record collection – I love my music! I also have a piece of art by a friend, Gabrielle Tescher, that sits above my turntables so that it’s always in view.”
Joaquin wears an IN BED 100% linen apron in Navy.
“I undertook my culinary studies in Lyon, France and then lived in Paris for thirteen years. This is where I really fell in love with natural ingredients and the relationship they have with society and with nature. It was always a dream of mine to open up a place that was built with this equation in mind. When I met my partner, Gaetan, a natural wine importer, it seemed like the perfect time to start Loup Bar.”
“I love wine with oxidative profiles, like Jura, Jerez, and some Champagnes. This complexity is fascinating to me, but I always say there is a moment to drink every different type of wine.”
“At Loup Bar, we have a few classic dishes that we can not take from the menu, like the Flamanesa, a classic veal schnitzel named after a very good friend who often plays in restaurants under the moniker of ‘Flama Blanca’. We also have a Wagyu Beef Tartare with pimenton and peppers and a Squid and Saffron Aioli Toast.”
Joaquin’s table is set with an IN BED Napkin set in Natural
“Outside of work, I like to travel a lot, and when I’m home I drink tea in my hammock and sometimes I watch movies in bed; when I can do this, it's such a great moment.”
“I love to walk in the mornings with my dog, drink coffee at Quentin or Blom cafe, buy some pastries at Cafe Nin, have lunch at Massala y Maiz, there are also some great new shops that have opened recently like ⅛ takamura and Selection Marseille.
“This year, I’m looking forward to opening a new place in Mexico City, soon to be announced, and a possible Loup Bar residency in the South of France we are hoping to do in the summer.”
Joaquin’s bed is dressed with IN BED 100% linen in Grey & White Stripe with a fitted sheet in dove grey.
