chef victor "erik" lopez

 With our shared vision of creating an inspired contemporary menu steeped in the traditions of Mexico and focusing on fresh ingredients and good health, Chef Victor “Erik” Lopez is excited to helm the La Casa kitchen and bring us into our next phase.
Erik was born and raised in Puebla, Mexico. He grew up watching his mother, grandmother and aunts prepare traditional Mexican dishes for the extended family. His nature is to be inquisitive and to always do things better - and this has served him well. For the past nine years Erik worked side by side with Chef Cosme Aguilar at Michelin starred Casa Enrique in NY - in fact, since day one. Erik believes the heart and soul of a great restaurant is based on a good feeling in the kitchen and his job is to nurture and encourage this good feeling. He sees the entire team as a family, and an important part of success comes from nurturing and supporting our restaurant “family”, together finding enjoyment in the work we do every day.  “In Mexico, recipes and flavors vary from family to family, village to village - there is not one specific taste or ingredient list for any dish - my vision is to develop and create my own versions, playing with new techniques, exploring both typical Mexican flavors and ingredients as well as local. I am so excited to begin this journey at La Casa and look forward to the challenge.”