"In Mexico, we have a saying: don't put all the steaks on the grill." Despite the keyboard lions, Roberto Alcocer has built his success step by step over 22 years and is now aiming for a second star in San Diego.
The story
Thirty-nine-year-old Roberto Alcocer is the new Michelin star in San Diego, specifically the fifth in the city. Two years ago, he came from Baja to open his restaurant, Valle, in 2021, during a brief break from the grip of COVID-19. Alcocer had been working in the industry for 22 years, starting as a young boy toiling at the Michelin-starred restaurant Le Patio in 2001, in the Bordeaux region, and then moving on to other prestigious establishments. He eventually opened his first restaurant, Malva Cocina de Baja California, in Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico, in 2014, where the Michelin recognition had not yet arrived. This led him to shift his focus to Oceanside.
"Since I arrived in this country, I said I would earn a Michelin star. My wife warned me, 'Don't say it out loud, what if it doesn't happen?' But the idea motivated me. And if I say it, I have to do it. Now, I want two stars." When asked about the secret of his quick success, he responds, "Look at my face, I'm tired. This lightning-fast success took twenty years."
Since the announcement, the phone hasn't stopped ringing, and the restaurant is fully booked until September. Resumes from people eager to work there are pouring in. The formula has changed: instead of four courses, there's a single $165 tasting menu, focused on the modernization of Mexican cuisine, considering the many locals. Alcocer doesn't hold back: he works at the restaurant from 10 in the morning until 11 at night, Wednesday through Sunday. During restaurant off-hours, he catches up on office work over the phone or via email. He also visits his Malva staff in Baja to check in.
But it hasn't always been smooth sailing. The initial reviews during the pandemic storm weren't flattering: "This place will be a steakhouse in 6 months," they wrote. Fuel for his ambition. Today, the number one issue is staffing shortage, though they're now internally trained. Occasionally, Alcocer even steps out of the kitchen and serves in the dining area. However, the restaurant continues to thrive, to the point where Alcocer is taking risks, like adding his favorite food, a gourmet hamburger, to the bar menu.
Photo: @Valle Restaurant
