Q&A with Chef Nico
The Red Light Lounge is a neighborhood bar tucked inside a neighborhood hotel and one of downtown’s best kept secrets. While it’s more of a lounge than a full service restaurant, that hasn’t stopped Chef Nico Rodriguez from serving up a menu that is right at home among Tucson’s finest dining establishments. This year, The Red Light Lounge is a participant in Sonoran Restaurant Week, a 10-day celebration of Southern Arizona dining. During Sonoran Restaurant Week, diners have the opportunity to enjoy incredible 3-course meals from participating restaurants at special fixed pricing. We felt like this was the perfect opportunity to tell you all about our Sonoran Restaurant Week menu and introduce you to Chef Nico Rodriguez.
Q:Tell us about the meal you put together for Sonoran Restaurant Week. What inspired you?
A: The first course is a choice of Aguachile Amarillo or a Pecan Pesto Salad. The second course is Steak and Masa, an 8oz Top Sirloin, with a Guajillo Masa Sope. The meal is finished off with a homemade vegan Mesquite Bean Ice Cream. This meal is a little Mexican, a little Southern American and a little of myself. I love Masa and wanted to feature it in the main dish. My family here is from San Blas, Nayarit and there were always piles of freshly pressed Masa Tortillas in the house.
Q: How did you get your start cooking?
A: I started cooking for my friends when I was twenty. Putting meals together for people was something I really enjoyed. When I was growing up I helped with my mother’s garden, she had a one acre garden where we grew things, lots of tomatoes, corn, onions, zucchini, things like that. I’ve always been around fresh ingredients. I started cooking professionally in 2014 in Salt Lake City, but moved to Tucson because my family is near here.
Q: How long have you been a chef in Tucson and how long have you been at The Red Light Lounge?
A: I’ve been a chef in Tucson over 4 years and at The Red Light for a year. I appreciate all the trust that I’m given to build the menu the way I want to express myself through cooking. I really value the creative freedom that I have here.
Q:What is your favorite thing about cooking in Tucson?
A: There are no rules here, it’s very wild. I love access to all the weird ingredients that Tucson has. The Chiltepins that I use grow in my grandmother’s front yard. There are Kaffir Lime leaves around town if you know where to look. Mesquite Pods are a great ingredient, they’re everywhere and I’m featuring that in the homemade ice cream for Sonoran Restaurant Week.
Q:What are your favorite ingredients to use?
A: I like to keep things simple and fresh and use the best ingredients available. I hope that when people eat here it takes a little stress out of their life and puts a smile on their face.