Earlier this year, a local chef was named a semifinalist for one of the most prestigious culinary awards in the country.
Last month, it was announced that Emiliano Marentes did not get the James Beard award for "Outstanding Chef."
But the fact that he was among such a select few has brought added distinction to his celebrated restaurant in downtown El Paso.
"That was the whole concept of Elemi is how I could create a restaurant where we make tortillas or guaraches or anything else the moment you order it with the freshest ingredients," said Elemi owner Emiliano Marentes.
A willingness to reimagine classic dishes and a commitment to quality has made Marentes one of El Paso's most exciting chefs.
Marentes and his wife, Kristal, opened Elemi in 2019.
It's a small, understated taqueria in the heart of downtown El Paso focused on simplicity and integrity.
"People think that sometimes, since we are busy, 'Well are you going to expand, are you going to make something bigger?' They think we're crazy when we say no," said Kristal Marentes. "That if we to move or chose a different location that we would still stay small. But that's what we wanted. that is what we envisioned. Like Emiliano stated, we're all about the quality and on top of that, we made this really small because we wanted to interact with our guests and interact with the community."
Earlier this year, Emiliano was recognized as a semifinalist for a James Beard award, in the outstanding chef category. It's one of the highest honors a chef could receive.
And while he didn't win the award, Emiliano says the distinction speaks to the evolution of the culinary scene in El Paso.
Elemi is among a growing number of restaurants in the Borderland that are working to preserve Mexican culinary traditions while also exploring bold new flavors.
"We get some pushback here and there sometimes just because it's so different but at the end of their meal, they love everything. So that's the part that I love the most, is that even when people are like 'Why is it blue or why does it look like that?' Or people will joke with me, 'mija quemastes la tortilla. It's so fun because right after they have their first bite, they are amazed," said Kristal Marentes. "And that's my favorite part of that. Just changing people. This is something that I never thought. And it's so authentic. It's been exciting."
Elemi is located at 313 N Kansas Street.
Sign up to receive the top most interesting stories from in and around our community once a day to your inbox.