He’s cooked for the President of the United States. The Prime Minister of Great Britain. The Chancellor of Germany.

He’s held the executive chef position at top ranked resorts in the Mayan Riviera.

In 1996, while still a student, he won double gold at the Culinary Olympics in Berlin.

He’s cooked at both La Coupole and at The Brasserie at Cafe de Paris in Monte Carlo.

From 2001 to 2003, he was Vincente Fox’ head chef, yes that Vincente Fox, the President of Mexico.

His thesis for his studies at Hautes Études du Goût in Reims, the heart of Champagne, has been published as a book.

About three years ago he became the chef of a San Miguel restaurant. About one year ago he became the owner of that restaurant. If you live in San Miguel de Allende, you probably know the restaurant. You may have even drank coffee there. Perhaps had breakfast.

You may have even seen that celebrated…and I’m glad he’s celebrated not a celebrity…chef. His name is Jose Bossuet Martinez, the restaurant is Cafe Contento and I chatted with him last week. He’s a stocky guy (the way I prefer my chefs) who looks like a cross between Fidel Castro and Peter Ustinov. I found him charming and humble for all of his accomplishments. The three words I heard him use most were “natural, local and simple”.

As I mentioned, Cafe Contento has a reputation as a breakfast and lunch spot. To many people, it’s more a coffee shop than a restaurant. And on the two occasions I was there last week, that’s what I saw on the other tables. Giant sized cafe americanos, frothy capuccinos, toast and marmalade, scrambled eggs, and fat bagels.

“I’m OK with that”, said Chef Jose. “I’m not trying to create gourmet extravaganzas. I’ll leave that to the other guys. This is simple home cooking that gives people what they want but still celebrates the culinary traditions of Mexico and, especially San Miguel.”

On the menu, there’s octopus done Veracruz style, with bell peppers, tomatoes, olives and capers. There’s cheese filled tortillas in a guajillo sauce that are a tribute to the times when they may have been served in the arched and covered sidewalks that border the jardin principal in San Miguel. The duck and charros beans dish goes back, according to Chef Jose, “to the days when French settlers landed in Jalisco and mourned the loss of their duck and had to replace it with turkey.”

“The potaje sanmiguelense”, Chef Jose said, “is a guajillo chili stew that would be served with nopales and garbanzos in San Miguel’s surrounding villages towards Jalpa.”

I told Jose that I was surprised to see his birria, the meat that, in Mexico, is sliced razor thin and then hung on lines to dry in the sun, is made from lamb.

“In different parts of Mexico, they use different meats. To the north, it’s usually beef, in other regions, pork,” explained Jose. “The lamb birria is a specialty of Guanajuato.”

The dish resembles pulled pork and is served in an ancho chile broth that’s still remembered under your fingernails the next morning.

“Rabbits once ran wild all over Mexico”, said Jose. “That’s what my enchilado is all about.”

It’s also about a mountain of goodies piled high on the local Pedro Cottontail that, like all tostadas, is almost as difficult to eat as Everest was to climb.

We switched subjects from the highlights of Cafe Contento’s menu to Jose Bossuet’s book. I have made attempts at reading it but, as it’s only in Spanish, and I’m still struggling with English, I didn’t get very far.

The title translates loosely as “The Heritage of Family Tastes” and it explores the relationship between all of our senses and the brain. It suggests that senses such as taste may even pass down through genes to the next generation and Jose used this example in our conversation:

“If you had never tasted iguana and I asked you what it tasted like, based on the texture, the color, and the flavor, you might say it tastes like chicken. But if your family had eaten iguana regularly for generations and you were asked what it tastes like, you would say it tastes like iguana.”

I mentioned earlier that Chef Jose has no pretensions about Cafe Contento being a temple of haute cuisine but he does like to step out occasionally and show off his skills as an imaginative chef. On November 18, he’s teaming up with one of my very favorite San Miguel chefs, Julian Garcia, to put together a six course tasting menu with paired beverages. Don Day’s Wife and I have already made reservations.

I hope we’ll see you there. And if you do attend and get a chance to engage Jose Bossuet Martinez in conversation after he escapes from the kitchen, do it. His knowledge of Mexican cuisine and his passion for continuing the local traditions are fascinating.

Cafe Contento is located in Plaza Golondrinas at Hernandez Macías #72 in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. You can find out more about special events that feature chef Jose Bossuet by telephoning 415 154 8020 or emailing info@cafecontento.com.