Join us as we touch down in the chaotic, beautiful, and flavor-drenched streets of Mexico City. In this episode, we’re handing the keys to Chef Lucho Martínez, the visionary behind the Michelin-starred Em. Recently featured in the Apple TV+ docuseries Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars, Lucho represents the new guard of Mexican gastronomy—where ancestral ingredients meet a sharp, contemporary edge.
In Part 1, we dive into Lucho’s personal world, starting at his flagship before hitting the legendary institutions and new-school haunts that define the CDMX scene today.
The Itinerary: Part 1
Em (Colonia Roma)
We start at Lucho’s heart and soul. Named after his daughter, Emilia, Em is where his philosophy of “unconventional roots” comes to life. We showcase and share some of his iconic dishes.
Pujol
No culinary pilgrimage to Mexico City is complete without a visit to the altar of Enrique Olvera. We stop by the world-renowned Pujol to see how the “Mole Madre” is aging and discuss how this institution paved the way for chefs like Lucho to redefine what Mexican fine dining can be.
Bar Mauro
Time for a shift in energy. We head to Bar Mauro, a 1970s Italy-inspired oasis in Roma Norte. Recently making waves on the World’s 50 Best Bars list (ranked #54 globally and #14 in North America for 2025), it’s the ultimate spot for a Negroni 1929 and Maurito.
Despacho Margarita
We end our first night at this specialized “Margarita embassy” from the award-winning team behind Licorería Limantour. It’s a bar-meets-bottle-shop dedicated entirely to the craft of the Margarita—from the classic to the fiery, nine-chili “Spicy” version.
Day 2: The Morning After
Comal Oculto
We kick off the next morning at at this Bib Gourmand-awarded spot. It’s a casual “itacate” where the comal is king. We grab the Gordita Especial—stuffed with chicharrón and tender carnitas—the ultimate chef-approved fuel and many more.
Café Tormenta
Next door to his restaurant Martinez, Lucho takes us to his “street-side” coffee project. It’s a specialized coffee stand where music plays all day. We grab an Oleo Matcha fuel up with espresso and soak in the neighborhood vibes.
Ultramarinos Demar
Lucho takes us to his tribute to the traditional Mexican seafood eateries. It’s a celebration of the “chaos of the sea,” focusing on incredible Mexican marine produce, smoke, and simplicity.
Martinez
We wrap up Part 1 at Lucho’s bistro-inspired spot. If Em is his laboratory, Martinez is his love letter to European bistronomy, serving soulful, technique-driven dishes in a room that feels like the ultimate neighborhood hangout.
Chapters:
0:00 – 0:56 – Introduction
0:57 – 4:31 – What’s Mexican Cuisine?
4:32 – 8:08 – The Institution
8:10 – 10:28 – World’s 50 Best Vibes
9:46 – 12:16 – Only agaves
12:17 – 15:04 – Amazing corn program
15:05 – 17:38 – Coffee Stop
17:39 – 20:45 – Ultimate Seafood Tower
20:46 – 24:07 – Is it the end?
24:08 – 24:25 – But wait, there’s more…
Featuring: Chef Lucho Martínez
From the team at S3 Lifestyle
Like, comment, and subscribe to catch Part 2, where the group grows and we take on the late-night iconic spots of the city!
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✅ Other Videos You Might Be Interested In Watching:
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🎵 Copyrighted music licensed from Lickd. https://lickd.co
Clandestino by Rodrigo y Gabriela, https://t.lickd.co/l/pNvaJKEmdZP
#mexicotravel #foodie #mexicofood #s3lifestyle #ys3chef #knifesedge
45 Comments
Random, but the green tile in the kitchen…. Amazing
Ahora resulta. ,,
omg you 2 have the BEST job in the world!!!
So many cool dishes. I wish we could get a deeper dive into what goes into them. That Foie Gras @21:34 seemed really cool but we don't get enough ingredient info to riff off of it.
best show on youtube!!!!
You guys do such a good job. Bravo.
Wow!! I felt like I was watching an episode of vanity fair or vogue, that was seriously good! You guys had me locked in, wonderful food & wonderful video!
I'm Mexican, and no, we don't need more Quintonil nor Pujol.
Estamos bien así.
Vayan a comer a los lugares gentifricados de la Roma. Hay buenas opciones pero la CDMX es mucho más que "La Roma"
As a chef who looks up to all these amazing people I really appreciate the time and work you guys put in to highlight their stories and restaurants. It was very difficult in the past to know more about the chefs who are on the rise like lucho and seeing these videos of him is amazing!
Really good Mexican food is not something we have a lot of in the UK, not much Mexican migration to here when the US is just next door rather than across an ocean. There is Kol, which is excellent and I really enjoyed, but everything else tends towards Tex-Mex at best, albeit some of it is decent Tex-Mex. I kinda liked it at a place in NYC where I had to surreptitiously Google what on Earth the huitlacoche I'd just ordered actually was! The pics were offputting but it tastes really good. Looking forward to part 2 😄
People from Veracruz are some of the nicest Mexicans you will meet! 🙌🏽 jarochos buen pedo!
🎉CHEERS TO 100K🍾
Excellent, well done👌
New here. I like this guy thank you!
you guys gotta come to São Paulo
Beautiful vid ✨
another amazing video!! You guys are amazing and the passion for the food is palpable. Once again, thank you!
Grats on the 100K!!!
How have we gone from rock n roll chefs like Marco Pierre white to this little soft hipster
No. We are not tired of Mexican food as Mexican, we are tired of people like you selling dishes for 100 isd when you can go to Oaxaca and eat for less than 20 usd directly from people that really knows how to cook
The algorithm blessed me with this beautiful video today, I just want to say bravo and you just picked up a subscriber. I had the pleasure of visiting CDMX a few years ago and fell in love right away. The city does something special to you. Went to so many unforgettable places around the entire city and I can't wait to go back, felt like I was there when I watched this.
hellooo Ricardooo…kiddin – wow your shows are exceptional – thank you for the experience! impressive and why i love youtube
Thanks!
When will Latino chefs that speak about being proud of being Latino and that here is still so much to show about our continent and this and that, STOP to serve Champagne, truffles and caviar in order to prove something?
Anybody care to follow up on this?
Talking about using local ingredients and then serving champagne and caviar is so contradictory yet no one seems to stop to think about this.
Now don't get me wrong, they are doing an amazing job in showcasing their terroir but I feel that there is still a lot of external influence that they do not realize themselves nor that they cannot shake themselves off of.
Does any of what I said make any sense?
i really loved this vid, for anyone also looking for timestamps, here they are for u :
0:00 👋 Introduction
0:57 🌮 What's Mexican Cuisine?
4:32 🏛️ Visiting Pujol: An Institution
8:10 🍹 Bar Mauro: World's 50 Best Vibes
10:45 🍸 Despacho Margarita: Only Agaves
12:17 🌽 Comal Oculto: Amazing Corn Program
15:05 ☕ Café Tormenta: Coffee Stop
17:39 🦞 Ultramarinos Demar: Ultimate Seafood Tower
20:46 🍽️ Martinez Restaurant and Fine Dining
24:08 🗺 More Chef Adventures
Tecate roja in Pujol at 7:51 😮
Great video and places, but not really what we eat as a Mexicans, always. All these places are expensive usually for whitexicans and white people.
Caviar is not Mexican!!!
I travel often to CDMX for vacations and long weekends, and I had the chance to try PUJOL a couple years ago, what a FIASCO ! Lol 😂
Being Mexican myself I find it absolutely ridiculous and overrated: over priced and very mediocre, sorry just my opinion. In the other hand I’ve been to many wonderful amazing places with incredible food for way way less money.
Love this content ! Keep on doing it 🎉
Amazing episode, love Mexico City!
You guys should do Lima, Peru next, with either the chef from Central or Maido (currently ranked best restaurant in the world by World’s 50 Best Restaurants)
11:45 dude look like André the giant
How the hell do you guys not have more views! The filming, editing, quality and vibe is so cool! Subscribed and wish you the best with growing this channel.
Awesome awesome, amazing video! As a cook myself I’m inspired. I will do better!
Come visit Philippine soon guythsss
Bar Mauro rocks!
Hola dese San Atnonio Texas, come here and open a restaurant in San Antonio.
more gringos in mexico city eating the same stuff and going to the same places.
First time watching you guys, loved the episode! Can’t wait to see part 2
After seeing this great video of cdmx, Houston needs a re-do please.
Me la pasé demasiado bien viendo esto… Chef Lucho, se ve que es un tipazo!
This is prime editing 👏👏
Chef Lucho, se le admira. Solo dígale a su compañero de trabajo que respete el lugar donde come y se quite la gorra.
'I stopped drinking coffee because it wasn't from Veracruz'
Eats and serves caviar and foie gras at his 'Mexican' restaurants
I can't wait for part 2