Alam Méndez
Apapacho Taqueria | Washington, D.C.
February 2026
Alam Méndez is no stranger to the hospitality industry. When he was three years old, his parents opened a restaurant, Las Quince Letras, in Oaxaca, Mexico. He began cooking as a teenager, learning from his mother, Chef Celía Florian, and studying traditional Oaxacan recipes. Inspired by his time in the kitchen, Méndez studied at the Instituto Culinario de México before traveling to Erfurt, Germany, to compete in the IKA/Culinary Olympics.
In search of a new challenge, Méndez turned to the world of fine dining. He staged at El Racó de Can Fabes in 2013, and then at Restaurante Arzak in San Sebastián, Spain, where he studied Spanish cuisine under Chef Elena Arzak. After six months in Spain, and some time in Guatemala and Chile, Méndez moved to Copenhagen, Denmark, to work for Chef Rosio Sanchez at her popular taqueria, Hija de Sanchez.
In 2017, Méndez returned to Mexico to open Pasillo de Humo in Mexico City, a project dedicated to showcasing traditional Oaxacan cuisine. His work there led to international invitations to cook and represent Mexican culinary culture in South Africa, Russia, the Philippines, and the United States. In 2019, Méndez joined Chef Chad Sparrow to open Urbano 116 in Alexandria, Virginia, before returning to Mexico during the pandemic. In 2021, he joined Maíz 64 in Washington, D.C., as executive chef, working alongside his wife, Pastry Chef Elisa Reyna.
In 2024, the couple opened their first project, Apapacho Taqueria, in D.C. At Apapacho, Méndez showcases Mexican street food rooted in origin and technique, highlighting nixtamalized Mexican corn ground in-house daily for fresh tortillas, as well as handmade Northern-style flour tortillas. With plans to eventually open a location in Oaxaca, he is representing his culture and heritage in the D.C. area, advocating for local immigrant communities, and leading his team along the way.
2026 StarChefs D.C.-Maryland-Virginia Rising Stars Award Winner
