Chef Pepe Salinas’ Interactive Tasting Menu Addresses Climate Change and Women’s Equality

Picture an elaborate dinner themed around a fast-approaching future of water scarcity, where diners participate in a Mad Max simulation of scrounging for scraps in a desert landscape. Such is the bold and ambitious vision of Pepe Salinas, the chef behind Mexico City’s Balcón del Zócalo. Don’t get scared off by the inevitable The Menu comparison—yes, this is very much a performance, but with a different kind of ending. 

Every three months for the past five years, Salinas and his team brainstorm a visually stunning nine-course menu ($90 per person, or $180 with wine pairings) based on topics such as women’s equality, political censorship and climate collapse. “My aim isn’t just to cook delicious food. I’m also keen on sparking meaningful conversations at the table,” Salinas tells Observer. “By basing our menu on current issues, we’re not only raising awareness about these matters, but [also] enhancing the dining experience.” Salinas’ risk-taking approach to fine dining pays off: both his concepts and contemporary Mexican flavors hit hard, delivering an astounding gastronomic experience in CDMX’s competitive culinary scene.

From the moment guests arrive at Balcón del Zócalo, an inviting, unapologetically luxurious feel permeates the space. An elegant railing and black-and-white Spanish tile floor define the open-air setting, which is filled with greenery including a living wall and potted mezcal plants.  Situated on the sixth floor of  Zócalo Central Hotel, Balcón del Zócalo gets its name thanks to its vast balcony overlooking Mexico City’s historic square, which was originally an Aztec ceremonial space, and is now the site of the 16th-century National Palace and Metropolitan Cathedral.

For this year’s heatwave-heavy summer months, Balcón del Zócalo offers a tasting menu based on “Day Zero,” the doomsday when Mexico City’s reservoirs will run out of water. After settling on the theme, the 19-member team spent three months developing dishes that evoke drought from various perspectives. “It became clear to us just how vital this issue was when several members shared their personal experiences with water scarcity at home,” Salinas says. “Day Zero is closer than we might have imagined.” The team meticulously tested the recipes, drink pairings and storytelling to bring the immersive concept to life, such as by serving orange wine to suggest a Dune-like future of sipping recycled urine to survive.

Salinas traces his unorthodox culinary approach back to his childhood. He developed a love of food through visits to his grandmother in Hidalgo, the state north of Mexico’s capital. “Upon entering her kitchen, I was enveloped by the aromas and ingredients she used for cooking,” Salinas recalls. From an early age, he demonstrated a strong creative streak and pursued drawing and painting. 

For the past 10 years, Salinas has combined his passions for art and gastronomy at Balcón del Zócalo. He workshops ideas through sketches and hand-draws each menu, which every diner can take home. He also 3D-prints tableware: the Day Zero tasting begins with a water jug shaped like the Aztec rain god Tlaloc, and ends with endangered axolotls (colorful, smiling Mexican amphibians) holding bright desserts.

Every Balcón del Zócalo tasting involves play and whimsy, inviting diners to participate in sensory experiences. A Day Zero dish involves cobbling together a post-apocalyptic “sandwich” out of two pieces of desiccated meat and a sardine in a glass can. Another, “Universal Flood,” encourages guests to simulate an eco-disaster by vigorously shaking the broth around a slab of buttery totoaba fish, causing beet gummy bears to bleed out red. 

Salinas’ menus always highlight solutions, such as innovative ways to conserve water and cook sustainably. One of his most show-stopping dishes is a salad of hydroponic greens chilled with gusts of dry ice. “Hydroponics makes it possible to grow vegetables even at home while significantly saving water, since these crops can adapt to most spaces and conditions,” Salinas, who is also opening an intimate taco joint in downtown CDMX later this year, explains. He focused on plant and marine ingredients—like a coconut soup with scallops, squid and spirulina that evokes life-giving amniotic fluid—to show that fine dining can be delectable and beautiful when resources are scarce.

Never one to shy away from controversy—Salinas’ tastings bring up topics like the immediacy of climate chaos and the legacy of migrants in Mexican society—the chef is already preparing his next theme, Censorship, which debuts in late September. “Our team selected this to coincide with Mexico’s change in government in October, marking a historic milestone with its first female president,” Salinas shares. “We hope to provoke thoughtful discourse among our diners, fostering a deeper understanding of the societal implications and freedoms at stake,” alluding to the dangers Mexican journalists can face if they report on subjects that challenge power structures. 

Looking ahead, Salinas plans to continue with his demanding schedule, releasing four original tasting menus per year at Balcón del Zócalo. With every new theme, he’s determined to keep pushing boundaries and speaking out about building a better future. “Each dish isn’t just about flavor and culinary techniques, but also about making a social impact,” Salinas says. “I want diners to leave with a satisfied palate and a story to share.”