“A beautiful accident” is what Chef Maria Mazon described her journey to her love of cuisine. As the nationally recognized Chef tells her story, she expressed that she did not go to culinary school and college was not her thing.
By: Johanna Rosalye – Luna
Chef Mazon started as everyone else, getting her foot in the door. She started working at a Mexican restaurant where she fell in love with the “beautiful chaos” that made her feel relaxed. From there she went on to launch her own catering company, to then establish BOCA Tacos y Tequila in 2009.
BOCA is “tacos in a tuxedo”, refining the taco by showcasing the Mexican cuisine while respecting the cuisine at the same time.
Every cuisine is beautiful and unique its own way. Chef Mazon tells us that she cannot give one country more than the other as they are both in her heart. Her Chef’s coat displays it as well, with one arm sleeve reading Tucson and the other Sonora. This speaks to the uniqueness of who she is and what she brings to her cuisine.
With a need for tortillas and wanting the real deal by bringing back the nixtamal, Chef Mazon created Sona Tortillas.
Here you can find your kitchen needs for traditional Mexican cooking such as the molcajete, lime squeezer and more.
Chef Mazon brings the materials and products from Guadalajara and Oaxaca, Mexico while also supporting others from her heritage. After the pandemic putting a halt to Sona Tortillas for two years, it is now celebrating one year in business.
Her go to ingredients when in the kitchen are sea salt from Sonora (Sal Yavaros), limes, chiles, and the grill. She adds that with a good sauce or salsa you can elevate a dish from zero to a hundred. Chef Mazon is also known for pushing boundaries in the kitchen.
When asked what she will not do while pushing those boundaries, she said that she will not compromise her integrity or that of her cooks, or the flavors.
Most importantly she will not comprise her cuisine, saying that she teaches people on how the cuisine is meant to be eaten.
An experience in life that has shaped her as person and chef to be who she is today was not having a business partner.
She shared that this was a hurdle that hurt her in the beginning of her career as she did not know what a business was.
Getting personal, an experience that shaped her was coming out of the closet as a Mexican catholic.
This shaped her to who she is as a person, allowing her to be true to herself one hundred percent, stating that it would’ve been hypocritical of her part tell the story of the Mexican cuisine if he was “hiding”. It allowed her to accept who she is and showing that to everyone, extending to her appearance on Top Chef Portland and using that outlet to show her authenticity.
As a nationally acclaimed Chef and a James Beard Foundation finalist in 2020 and 2022, she enjoys the recognition and feels she’s earned her stripes as a chef.
When asked about her experience on being in Top Chef, Chef Mazon felt like she belonged and comfortable in her own skin and not feeling like she had to apologize for who she is, “It was the cherry on the cake.” She has also learned friendship, loyalty, support, that it is okay to have doubts, to fall and get back up, and that it is okay to ask your peers for
help.
Chef Mazon has several projects in the works to look out for.
She is the process of writing a cookbook which is expected to be released within the next two years. She recently partnered with Borderlands Brewing to open a new restaurant on 6 th Avenue in Tucson, Arizona. The menu has not yet been released; however, we can say that is not tacos or BOCA related. There is also talks of opening a third restaurant for Chef Mazon.
She did disclose that each restaurant will have its own identity with the same Chef with the Latin American cuisine and no repeats. That’s not all, the Chef recently launched her own YouTube channel which will showcase videos that daily people who enjoy cooking and eating can have access to tips and tricks in the kitchen.
Lastly, she also shared the release of her custom knife collection with Studio Singh bringing “forever” knives available to everyone. Chef Mazon shares that her secret weapon to success is that she never stops being nervous.
The restaurant business for the accomplished Chef is beautiful and ugly at the same time, and not for everyone adding that it makes you realize who you are and what you are made of. The hardest combination in life is staying hungry and humble.
Chef Mazon hasn’t stopped following her passion.
Cooking is her life, it is everything that she is and more, while also not completely defining her. Cooking has opened many doors for the chef and has given her the power of changing peoples life.
She enjoys being a part of people’s journey.
Her unique personally and cuisine is what sets her apart from everyone else.
When Chef Mazon is not in the kitchen sprucing up some delicious cuisine you can find her boxing or with her family, her wife, son and their two dogs (Lola and Lucas).
Congratulations to Chef Mazon’s success and for never stopping of being afraid to chase her vision and pushing boundaries.
You can find Chef Mazon’s delicious cuisine at BOCA Tacos y Tequila located on 533 N. 4 th Ave in Tucson Arizona, open daily.
You can also visit her unique tortilla shop Sona Tortillas next door to BOCA Tacos y Tequila located on 527 N. 4 th Ave in Tucson Arizona, open Sunday to Thursday.
Chef Mazon can also be found on Instagram.
