HIGH DINING

“It tastes like Donna Karan perfume,” says Xavier Pérez Stone, as he explains the depth of flavour of a local Yucatán lime. As I bite into one, I immediately get what he means— there is an appealing floral essence to the fruit. Pérez Stone is the founding chef of Cocina de Autor, Grand Velas Riviera Maya’s signature restaurant, which is consistently listed as one of Mexico’s top 100. Now a chef-consultant for the resort, he has handed over the day-to-day operations to chef Nahum Velasco, who characterizes their signature tasting menus—think shrimp with pollen, sweet corn and honey, and chocolate with mushrooms and sherry vinegar—as creative Mexican cuisine with a global influence. The duo’s goal is to create food that makes people happy. “Growing up, I knew my mother was happy when she cooked a pipián sauce,” says Velasco. “Chef Xavi and I want to serve you a little bit of our happiness too.”