When Claudette Zepeda was at her most stressed-out, as she puts it, "my neck went away." Her shoulders were in a permanent state of hunch and she'd been advised at a new job to bring her "knives and anti-anxiety medication." But she learned along the way to advocate for herself, for people who'd always been marginalized in the world of food, and for the Mexican dishes that generations of her family held dear. The Top Chef alum and executive chef of the Alila Marea Beach Resort joined Food & Wine for a conversation about breaking bad patterns, communing with her ancestors, being completely humbled by her teenagers, and mentoring the next generation of chefs.

Food & Wine Pro

https://www.foodandwine.com/fwpro

Learn more about Claudette

https://chefclaudettezepeda.com/

Follow her on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/claudetteazepeda/

Mother, Militant, Empath, Hard-Ass

https://www.foodandwine.com/chefs/claudette-zepedas-tijuana

Make Claudette's birria tacos

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/birria-tacos

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