Day of the Dead Mole Cooking Workshop

Mole is one of Mexico’s most representative dishes. Its origins are still disputed, with different accounts attributing it to nuns or tracing the dish back to prehispanic cuisine. Recipes vary between regions and even families, but mole generally consists of a blend of chillies ground with ingredients that range from bittersweet chocolate, to almonds, fried bread, plantains, and more, cooked in a traditional ceramic pot know as an “olla.” Not surprisingly, mole takes its name from the Nahuatl word “milli” which means sauce or “concoction”.

The Gardiner Museum holds a renowned collection of ceramics from the Ancient Americas. To celebrate Day of the Dead and the important role that food plays in this Mexican holiday, join us for a mole cooking workshop with chefs Jose Matamoros and Ricardo Dominguez of El Catrin restaurant. Learn more about the history of Mexican food in theory and practice with these two seasoned chefs.

Includes a cooking lesson, coffee and pan de muerto snack, and complete mole meal, as well as gallery admission.

About the Chef

Chef Jose Matamoros began his culinary adventure as a young student, spending summers in Santa Fe immersed in the culinary scene. After relocating to Canada in 2006, Jose continued his training and joined the prestigious Stratford Chef School. Internationally, he has trained at the celebrated French restaurant La Grenouillere, and Villa Mangiacane in Italy. For over five years, Jose has worked in the Distillery District under the mentorship of Chef Olivier Le Calvez and Sous Chef Ricardo Dominguez, refining his Mexican technique with an ever-increasing passion for Mexican cuisine.