CMFine Cuisine of Mexico
interview+food photography by Jorge Perezchica
Wild Thyme Restaurant Group, a dynamic food and beverage company committed to uniting flavors and people, breathes life into its innovative “Home Grown” restaurant concepts at Molé Comida. Nestled in the upscale El Paseo shopping district of Palm Desert, California, Molé Comida distinguishes itself in the foodie scene with reimagined recipes and culinary artistry.
Crafted by the acclaimed Chef Roberto Madrid and restaurateur Heinrich Stasiuk, each dish at Molé Comida is a masterpiece, embodying unique flavors and presentation that tantalizes both the eyes and taste buds. From the chic ambiance to the exceptional service, Molé Comida promises a dining experience that transcends the ordinary, making it the perfect destination for those seeking a memorable and unique culinary adventure.
Hailing from Scottsdale, Arizona, Chef Roberto Madrid has brought his culinary expertise to Palm Desert, overseeing Molé Comida’s El Paseo location. Read on for the Coachella Magazine interview as Chef Roberto Madrid shares insights into his culinary inspiration and the artistry behind the restaurant’s exceptional offerings.
Coachella Magazine: Introduce yourself and tell us about your background in the restaurant industry?
Chef Roberto Madrid: My name is Roberto Madrid. I’ve been in the business for over 40 years, mainly in Scottsdale, Arizona. Most of my experience has been in the traditional cooking.
CM: And how long have you been working at Molé Comida?
RM: I started about over a year ago when I came on board. We started making a lot of changes. The whole idea of me coming over was to implement and support Molé with my experience. So we did a lot of major changes, a lot of training. We developed new systems in the kitchen. So when we establish all that, we decided to come here (Palm Desert).
CM: Is there anything you learnt about Molé from the first Arizona location that prepared you for the move to Palm Desert, California?
RM: To be honest, a lot of things that we put together back in Arizona was with our vision about this place. Thinking about the area, thinking about the cuisine, thinking about the elevation of the cuisine for this area. Really, being designed mainly about this area.
CM: How is El Paseo different from working in Arizona?
RM: Well, if you look at the area it’s pretty high-end. My experience has always been at this level. I came from Scotland, Arizona—you will find a lot of high-end restaurants up there. If you look at my background, you will see that I have done a lot of the high-end cuisine, mainly Latino or Mexican.
It’s easy for me to understand people’s expectations when it comes down to high-end food. I would tell you this—at the end of the day, it’s about what people like and how they like it. Understanding and knowing the area, you will see people strive for quality in this place. They want something that is represented with a lot of flavor, that is up to their expectations.
CM: Are any ingredient locally sourced?
RM: Most of the ingredients come from California. I would say 80 to 90% of the ingredients are from here. It’s California grown product. There’s some items that we bring in from Mexico, like the peppers, like the dried chilis, chipotles, they’re coming from Mexico. But the produce, the fresh vegetables, they’re local.
CM: What makes Molé different than other Mexican restaurants?
RM: I think it is the application. Honestly, if you look at our menu, you’re going see that, because people ask: “Which region of Mexico you guys are?” We’re covering a lot of areas from Mexico. I will tell you this, we try not to be so pretentious. We try to be homemade cooking, using local ingredients, putting the best application to those ingredients. And you know what? Let the food speak for itself.
CM: Tell us more about the recipes.
RM: When we thought about putting this menu together and envisioning Palm Desert, it was basically about putting ourselves in the guest shoes to see what they like. If you look at some of the menu items, nothing is real heavy. You know what I’m saying? There is a lot of flavors. The presentation is different.
Let me give you an example—like the chicken molé and enchiladas. We make our own tortillas. We don’t buy it. The chicken is marinated (overnight) with the same molé that we are going to top it up with. So, you get a lot of more flavor in there. We make our own molé from scratch. When we cook the chicken, it already has a lot of molé flavor. So, you can get some of the texture from the same ingredients.
CM: Do you have a favorite menu item?
RM: Honestly, that would not be fair for me to say this or that. I think at the end of the day, every dish has it own identity.
CM: Did you feel any pressure about the grand opening?
RM: You feel the pressure for sure, but I don’t get nervous in a bad way. Like, “Oh my god, it’s gonna happen.” It’s gonna happen. Mm-hmm. And we’re gonna open. It’s gonna be okay.
CM: How would you describe Mole Comida restaurant?
RM: I call it elevated Mexican cuisine. We got all these ingredients. I should explain to you about the molé being deconstructed. I mean, you still have the same mole, but it’s deconstructed. So, you get the texture, you got the nuts, you got the sesame—you got everything in the outside you can see and taste as well.
CM: How would you describe yourself in three words?
RM: Passion, committed and understanding.
CM: What do you love most about the restaurant industry?
RM: You know what? There is no more enjoyment when you see people pretty much finish their whole meal. When you see the plates coming back to the kitchen—if the plate is empty, that says the whole story right there without anybody saying anything. They will tell you they really enjoy it. They love it. You see the same people come back and without saying anything. That tells you everything—right there.
WEB: Molé Comida
ADDRESS: Located at The Shops on El Paseo
73-130 El Paseo, Suite M, Palm Desert, CA
TEL: 760.636.1269