Homaro Cantu was one of the world’s most dazzling culinary artists, known for modernist cooking techniques that boggled the mind and tasted exquisite. Moto, his restaurant in Chicago, was a fine-dining destination, starred by the Michelin guide, and a home for the world’s most creative cooks.
But growing up, Omar didn’t have a kitchen. Frequently homeless as a youth, his first taste of fish came while he was living in the woods with his mother. He hated it; he didn’t know you had to remove the scales and bones. As an adolescent, he narrowly avoided the juvenile detention center.
But he was saved by science and by cooking. Later, as a protégé of the chef Charlie Trotter, and afterwards, in his own restaurant, he became a pioneering chef who was leading us to a new future in food.
Homaro Cantu didn’t just want to make you dinner. He wanted to change the world.
At the time of his death, in April 2015, he was at work on a revision of this book. He imagined it as a fitting celebration of Moto’s first ten years, showcasing the ten most original dishes from each year. The photography was complete, the recipes had been written, and the combination was full of Omar’s generous and creative spirit.
With help from his collaborators, the publisher has completed revisions on Omar’s behalf to prepare this book for publication. No recipes have been added or substantively changed, but methods have been further explained and measurements have been standardized. Omar’s comments have been edited, and a glossary has been added to aid home cooks.
It is our hope that each of these one hundred recipes opens a window into Homaro Cantu’s extraordinary culinary mind.