Mystic Café has a new chef! Coming to us from Waha Bar and Grill, David Reyes brings a unique background and a wealth of culinary knowledge that’s sure to change the way we know Mystic. In honor of International Chef’s Day yesterday (10/20), we sat down with David to introduce him to our community. Come along on the interview to learn more about our new chef and what changes might be coming.

Okay, David, give us the basics.

I was born and raised in Los Angeles, and I got my love of cooking from my mom. When I graduated high school, I had no idea what I wanted to do. I was going to go into IT, but culinary school called me first. I went to Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena, and the most memorable part was when Julia Child came by. She visited once a year to do seminars. After that, I started working.

David has worked in nearly every type of kitchen you can think of: a tapas bar, a bakery, even the opening of a P.F. Chang’s.

What made you want to move around so much?

I was working at P.F. Chang’s when my wife got pregnant with our first daughter. We moved to Northern California to be closer to her family, and I started a side gig making sushi. Then I worked at a breakfast restaurant for the first time and learned that people are more particular about their eggs than their steak. I never would have known that!

I’m super particular about my eggs, so I get that.

And that’s what I found out! It really kept me on my toes.

Where did you go from there?

I moved down to Napa and started at Bistro Don Giovanni, where I learned to make fresh pasta and bread. The menu changed daily, so we had to come up with dishes on the spot. At most places I’d worked, we made test plates. Here, we’d create something right then and everyone would try it.

After that, I went to Hillstone, working in the R & D (Research and Development) kitchen in Rockwell, where everything was new. They started with a big menu so we could hone it down to perfect. We were a test kitchen for 50 to 60 full-service restaurants, eight Japanese-style restaurants, a galleria, and Rutherford’s. We were always trying new things.

Tell us more about working at Hillstone.

There’s so much! Everything was prepped to order. When a Cubano was ordered, the meat was just being cut. Carnitas were cooked every four to six hours. Bartenders could make any drink you could think of. It taught me that to be good, you need a good team around you. In most restaurants I’ve worked at, when the whole team meshes, things run fabulously.

Hillstone also shows the importance of cooking in-house. There’s such a quality difference when everything is made fresh.

You can tell everywhere you go when things are made fresh. That’s why people love hole-in-the-wall, mom-and-pop places so much. It’s made in-house, and it’s good!

After Hillstone, where did you go?

I ran Waha Bar and Grill! My family owned it, and it was so much fun. I’d never done burgers before, so I pushed myself to see what people would like. I was coming up with all sorts of dishes on no notice, and people loved it.

What are your dreams here at Mystic?

I’m a spontaneous guy. I can think of stuff, but I want to keep pushing my own boundaries. Take a simple dish like chicken Alfredo. Everyone loves it, but how can I make it better? I’m always asking myself how I can make things better for my clientele.

I also worked for the Department of Corrections for six to eight years, feeding people breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day.

I imagine that’s different from a restaurant.

Oh, yeah, but I learned the health side of it: how much protein and nutrients are in everything, and making sure everyone got exactly what they needed. We took a nutrition class that taught me a lot about what’s good for you.

Let’s do some rapid-fire questions. Where do you draw inspiration from?

I was taught early on as a chef to make something up right now: whatever you want, just put it in front of me. That’s where I learn and grow. But you also need a basic understanding of food and what works together. Inspiration is whatever I see.

You said you got your love of cooking from your mom. Was she a chef too?

Oh, no. She just made everything with love, mostly Mexican food. She always showed us how to do it. I once asked why she pushed us to learn, and she said, “So you know how to do it, and you can pass it on to your kids. Not just cooking together, but being a parent and being a friend.”

What advice do you have for aspiring chefs?

First, don’t quit. It’s going to be hard. I’ve always been a corporate chef, and it’s go, go, go. But you have to have fun. The stress is so high that you have to enjoy it.

If you had to feed someone your life story in a three-course meal, what would it be?

That’s easy. The appetizer is my favorite dish, menudo: tripe with all the fixings, like radishes, cabbage, and cilantro. My mom always made it, and I love it. I’d pair it with horchata.

For the entrée, a filleted ribeye with a mushroom sauce in the middle for that pizzazz, over mashed potatoes with a nice veal demi-glace, and a 2021 Opus One Cabernet on the side. It’s delicious.

For dessert, one of my favorites: a churro cake stuffed with Belgian cream, with maybe a chipotle whipped cream. To finish, champurrado, a Mexican hot chocolate made with masa. It’s thick and earthy, and you drink it in the fall.

We love it. No notes.

I love where I came from and my heritage, and I love infusing it with other influences. I love Asian food, and I can make anything, so I like fusing it with homegrown Mexican food.

Do your kids share your love of cooking?

I certainly hope so! I’ll cook something and they’ll say, “Dad, this isn’t good.” They know I hold people to a standard of quality, and they hold me to it too. My love is their love, but I tell them that if they want to cook, great, and if not, they’ll still know how.

Can you hint at what changes might be coming to Mystic?

I’ve always been the type to push boundaries. That’s how you change things: you don’t break boundaries, you push them. There are a few things I’d like to tweak.

David brings a fresh perspective and new life to our kitchen, along with a treasured cultural background and experience in every corner of the culinary world. We’re thrilled to see what changes start to appear at Mystic. Come on by. We’d love to see you!