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Chef's Showcase

Eclectic Fare From An Eclectic Chef

Executive chef:  Michelle Roetzer
Proprietor:  V. Trae Apodaca III
Sous chefs:   Armando Pomales and Jacob Hallberg
Concept:  Innovative Continental cuisine with an emphasis on seasonal freshness and Southwestern flavors
Originally opened:  1918, in Juarez, Mexico
New rendition opened in:   1991
Number of seats:  175, including patios
Check averages:  $20-$30
Number of kitchen staff:   20
Menu features:  ceviche specials; warm brie drizzled with cajeta and seasoned pecans; carpaccio of beef with arugula, spiced balsamic and shaved Parmesan; grilled bacon-wrapped prawn brochette marinated in chipotle and cilantro

How has Café Central built its reputation for "taking care of customers." - Questions & Answers

What brought you to El Paso after years of working in some of California's highest-profile restaurants?
This is home for me, so in a lot of ways I came here for love. There was a terrific opportunity to do my thing at Café Central, so I took it. Now, I've been here seven years and haven't looked back because I like it much better. You can work hard and still have a balanced life.

What is the Café Central clientele like?
We're right in downtown El Paso, close to the border. The mix is quite eclectic. We serve a lot of wealthy Mexicans and well-to-do business people, but we also attract everyday diners and tourists. We have an extremely loyal regular clientele.

Are they open to your menu innovation?
I'm so fortunate that way. Not only have I gotten to know many of my customers, but Trae is very sociable and likable. So I'd have to say the whole experience here makes them comfortable enough to try almost anything the kitchen does.

How would you describe your menu?
"Eclectic Continental." The idea of "Southwestern food" is a mistaken concept. People end up expecting Mexican food. My own eating experiences have been extremely varied. I grew up on Tex-Mex comfort food, worked in a lot of California-Italian restaurants, and am basically a hamburger kid. How do you bring all those influences together?

I basically try to design a place where I would want to eat by offering it all - something for everyone on one menu.

Are there any risks in that approach?
It's really important to offer dishes that are diverse enough to appeal to a broad audience, but not so diverse that you lose focus or direction. There's got to be a common sensibility that ties everything together. You must maintain a delicate balance.

How do you achieve that balance?
I have a lot of help, for one thing. My sous chefs are fantastic. Without them I couldn't do it because they allow me some time to be with our customers, to research ideas and to work with our purveyors. It takes all of that to make the right menu happen.

Do you still spend time behind the stove?
I work the line three times a week. How can I expect my crew to do it if I don't? It helps keep everyone motivated, too.

What do you do the rest of the time?
I go into the dining room and wander around, greeting guests and working with the wait staff. It's important that I have a hands-on presence throughout the restaurant. In the case of serving our customers, that helps me keep in touch with their expectations. And in terms of the servers, well, they're my sales representatives.

We don't have a formal "premeal" meeting like some places because that's just not our style. Instead the front-of-the-house gets more casual instruction before lunch and dinner, which just carries on through service.

Is the overall dining experience what first-time Café Central guests expect?
I have to say that people come here, and they're amazed that there could be a place like this in El Paso. We're really the only white-tablecloth restaurant in town that has been able to make it. The locals have been so supportive of us.

In a way, that works both for us and against us. To tell the truth, I'd like to see another restaurant come in and push us even more. It's good for everyone in town.

The true mark of success these days is staying power. In order to have that, you have to find ways to maintain and even increase your level of passion.

So how do you stay motivated and keep your staff motivated?
I make it a point not to just do the same thing over and over, but to build on ideas. Trae and I like to travel and eat at different places to see what's going on elsewhere. I also do a lot of research, reading the trades and spending time online. Then, it's my job to get in the kitchen and bring that enthusiasm back to the people who work with me.