ROSIO SANCHEZ & TEAM TO OPEN THEIR FIRST RESTAURANT, SANCHEZ

Rosio Sanchez, chef and owner of Hija de Sanchez, is set to open her first restaurant, Sanchez at Istedgade 60, in the Copenhagen neighbourhood of Vesterbro.

Opening on Thursday 30th November, Sanchez is modelled after the Mexican cantina, and is a welcoming neighbourhood restaurant serving Rosio’s personal take on Mexican dishes using the very best Mexican and Nordic ingredients, and reflecting her varied upbringing and experiences in the United States, Mexico and all across western and northern Europe.

Together with her team, Rosio has created a place that celebrates the Mexican food and drinks they crave and want to share with friends and guests. The menu draws inspiration and influences from across Mexico—from Oaxaca to Mexico City and across the Yucatan. The cooking will be instantly recognizable to anyone who’s eaten Mexican food in Mexico, because it’s made in the same spirit: simply prepared from scratch and by hand, using the best possible ingredients.

Rosio says, “Creating a restaurant like Sanchez has been on my mind for a long time. I think a lot of chefs create the place they want to hang out in, and that’s exactly what the team and I have done—a restaurant with the spirit of a Mexican cantina or even a Parisian bistro. I hope Sanchez will be a place for guests and friends to come back to, and a place with seemingly straight forward, simple and tasty food—like someone has cooked for you in their home.”

Like the taquerias, Sanchez sources the staples of Mexican cuisine—corn, chilli, and spices—from artisanal producers across Mexico. It also seamlessly slots Nordic ingredients in where they fit, adapting dishes to the local environment and embracing the best of what’s local and seasonal to create distinct and delicious flavour. Local gooseberries brilliantly step in for tomatillos, which don’t grow well in the Nordic region. Queso fresco is made with Danish milk that has its own character, familiar yet unique.

“The dishes we have created are to me, authentic and delicious—some of the dishes are quite traditional, but others will be new takes on classics, influenced by my career and growing up in Chicago“ says Rosio. “We also want to acknowledge that we are here in Copenhagen, and use the best, tastiest and in-season ingredients from across the region. It’s been fun, and even at times a little challenging to re-create the flavours of Mexico using what is local—the limitations have pushed us.”

The result is a short and constantly changing a la carte menu, consisting of a selection of snacks and smaller bites, larger plates, and desserts, with first dishes like panucho with salad, an enchilada with bitter greens and aged cheese, and a family-style pork cochito with hand pressed tortillas. A special taco of the day may be the Rosio’s take on “dirty carnitas”, or the crab taco she developed for Noma Mexico. For dessert, Rosio will offer her original tres leches paleta, a dish inspired by her birthday cakes growing up in Chicago, as well as an open churro sandwich with frozen parfait.

In addition, a daily tasting menu selected by Rosio will be available for guests interested in a full exploration of the team’s Mexican cooking.

The bar will offer a small list of classic cocktails based on mescal and tequila, craft beers from Mexico, non-alcoholic aguas frescas, as well as a small wine list with a focus on natural wines, curated by long-time friend and acclaimed wine importer Sune Rosforth (Rosforth & Rosforth).

The design of the forty-six seater blends Mexican and Nordic elements, with young independent Mexico City design firm La Metropolitana responsible for the interiors, having recently partnered with noma on the design of Noma Mexico in Tulum. This is their first European project. There are imported artisanal furnishings and fittings from Mexico, mixed with furniture and lighting from local designers in the pared back, modern interiors. The Sanchez team have also imported authentic Mexican tableware from their travels.

Sanchez will open for dinners Thursday to Sunday, from Thursday 30th November. Bookings are available now at lovesanchez.com, Sanchez also welcomes walk-ins.

You can follow our Instagram account @sanchezvesterbro for a little "behind the scenes photos of making a restaurant" and coming news about events and changes in our menu.

Sanchez is located at Istedgade 60 1650 Copenhagen V.

About Rosio Sanchez

Rosio was born and raised in the South Side of Chicago, and grew up eating the Mexican food of her heritage. She began cooking professionally at 19 and worked with some of America’s most respected chefs, including Wylie Dufresne at wd-50, before moving to Copenhagen to spend more than half a decade working in the test kitchen and as head pastry chef under René Redzepi at noma. In March 2015, Rosio left noma to reconnect with her Mexican roots and try to apply her skills to the food she identifies with most. She dreamt of transporting the Mexican dishes she remembered to Copenhagen, and began developing recipes, using the highest quality ingredients she could find, whether they were from central Mexico or small farmers in Denmark. In June 2015, she opened Hija de Sanchez, a taqueria located in Copenhagen’s Torvehallerne Market. A second Hija de Sanchez opened in March 2016 in the Copenhagen Meatpacking District.