Chichería Mexican Kitchen Names Juan Hormiga Executive Chef
Chichería Mexican Kitchen is excited to announce the addition of Juan Hormiga to its kitchen staff as executive chef. Hormiga, best known to Atlanta diners as the former executive chef of beloved tapas hotspot Buena Vida, will serve up exciting new menu selections and an exclusive look at his vision for Chichería’s future at a special “Meet the Chef” event, “An Evening with Chef Juan Hormiga,” on Thursday, Jan. 23.
Hormiga returns to Atlanta after a stint at Parche, a lively Oakland, California, restaurant specializing in contemporary Colombian cuisine. While he was executive chef at Parche, the restaurant was added to the prestigious MICHELIN Guide in 2024, just months after opening.
“Working with chef Juan at Buena Vida was a true highlight of my career as a restaurateur, and I’m thrilled to be working with him again at Chichería,” says Juan Calle, owner of Chichería Mexican Kitchen and co-owner of Buena Vida. “I can’t wait for our guests to taste his cuisine and see what he has planned.”
“What I love about Chichería is that we’re making real, authentic Mexican cuisine, which is very different from the Tex-Mex you get at so many Mexican restaurants,” says Hormiga. “I’ve always admired this style of cooking and am enjoying diving into it. I’ll hopefully put my own spin on it in a way that our guests will love.”
While Hormiga plans to unveil his first full menu in March, guests won’t have to wait until then—or even until Jan. 23—to experience some of the coastal Baja inspired changes he has planned. Hormiga is making Chichería’s entire current menu gluten-free on Monday, Jan. 13, and will introduce an in-house ice cream program focusing on Mexican-inspired flavors that same day.
The menu for the “Meet the Chef” event features a “sample platter” of dishes planned for Chichería’s new menu, including:
Aguachile rojo de camarón: Roasted tomato and red peppers, aguachile, pico de gallo, avocado, sliced jalapeño garnish with fresh cilantro and green oil and a side of purple tortilla chips
Snapper and coconut: Red snapper, coconut leche de tigre, red peppers, cilantro and roasted corn in a spicy red pepper oil with a side of purple tortilla chips
Yellow tuna tostada: Sliced tuna, guacamole, salsa macha, horseradish aioli, fresh cilantro and toasted sesame seeds.
Braised short ribs with mole poblano: 12-hour braised short rib, poblano mole, queso fresco, pickle, onions and a side of purple tortilla chips.
Hormiga will also discuss his culinary career, from his native Bogota, Colombia, to stops in Madrid, Ibiza and London. “An Evening with Chef Juan Hormiga” takes place from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23. The event is open to the public, but reservations are encouraged and can be made here. For more information about this event, please visit chicheriamx.com.
Photo Credit: O'Kelly Marketing Co.