Always greeting diners at Hacienda Sisal and paying attention to every little detail to make their evening memorable, you could say that Manager Jaime Huerta has the restaurant business in the blood. Originally from Mexico City, Jaime moved to Cancun and Royal Resorts seven years ago but has been involved in the food business since he was a boy. “My parents had a Lebanese restaurant in Mexico City, he explains and as it was a family business I literally grew up there. I did my homework sitting at one of the tables, went with my father to the market and helped out when it got busy. I had a great childhood and always loved the hustle and bustle of the restaurant; I knew that it would be part of my life.”
Jaime studied Administration at the Anahuac University Norte in Mexico City and then headed to the United States to study English. Like many students he took a part-time job in a restaurant to pay his way. This eventually became a full-time job in the industry and after four years he was managing a restaurant in California and working with the consultant who launched the Mexican concept at Hacienda Sisal. Royal Resorts eventually invited Jaime to head up the restaurant.
The job of a Restaurant Manager is demanding and Jaime describes a regular day for him. “I start with what we call the walk of fame, he says.” “This involves touring every area of the restaurant, checking maintenance, hygiene and making sure that everything is in order. I check my administrative to do list then it’s time to greet the staff and talk to the chef. We go over pending items, ingredients that are running low, incidents that occurred the previous day and then we brief the staff. There are 50 people in the Hacienda Sisal team, split between the kitchens and front of house.
“When service starts I spend the first couple of hours in my office, taking care of orders and other requests, Jaime adds.” “Then when it gets busy I go into the dining room. I make sure that everything is running smoothly and that there are no service issues or delays. I make sure that the quality of the food is of the highest and that our diners are happy. When the restaurant closes I still have to do the accounts, make deposits and supervise cleaning as staff prepare the restaurant for tomorrow.”
Unveiling a new menu at Hacienda Sisal
Hacienda Sisal fans can look forward to a new menu on their next trip. They’ll find many of their old favorites and many different dishes too, carefully chosen from all over the country. Jaime explains, “In the past, many of our visitors from the United States regarded Tex-Mex and Mexican food to be one and the same. This is no longer the case. With the boom in cooking shows, food blogs and the rise of celebrity chefs who travel to Mexico there has been an awakening of interest in our cuisine, a desire to learn more about it and try traditional dishes. It is something that makes us very proud. After all, Mexican cuisine is on the World Heritage list for its sheer diversity.
“So we have gone back to our roots at Hacienda Sisal, he adds.” “We are using time-honored recipes passed down through families for generations, authentic cooking methods and locally sourced ingredients. We want to educate the palate of our diners with ancestral recipes and give them a taste of our great nation, from north to south and east to west.”
Jaime goes on to say, “Diners often ask me to recommend something from the menu and I always start with Mole Poblano. The smooth sauce served over a juicy chicken breast is made from a blend of spices, chili and chocolate and the flavor is subtle and sophisticated. I also recommend a hearty helping of Carnitas from Michoacan, classic Cochinita Pibil from the Yucatan and a favorite from my hometown, Mero al Pastor, grouper fish with the marinade used to make Tacos al Pastor. Then we have all the “antojitos mexicanos,” our famous finger food such as flautas or crispy rolled tacos, tostadas, tacos, sopes, guacamole and queso fundido or melted cheese, all of which are great for sharing. And on top of all that we have the Chef’s Specials which will change every three months.”
Hand in glove with the interest in Mexican cuisine is the global appetite for its traditional spirits, tequila and mezcal. Jaime says, “We have a collection of premium tequila and artisanal mezcal from Oaxaca for connoisseurs and we have just introduced several craft beers too.”
Hacienda Sisal opens at 2 p.m. for lunch and a 2 x1 Happy Hour. Dinner is served from 5 to 11 p.m. and there is live Mexican music on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Sunday Brunch is a great way to start a vacation and you won’t want to miss Pozole Thursday and a taste of Mexico’s famous pork and hominy soup.
Jaime also explained that training is constant at Hacienda Sisal and at all the restaurants in the Royal Resorts group, for example in the handling of foods for diners with food allergies. There is special emphasis on service and in meeting Leading Hotels of the World standards to ensure that all guests receive a truly five-star dining experience. He says, “We are receiving very good reviews on Facebook and Trip Advisor and this motivates us to do even better every day. This year Hacienda Sisal entered the Trip Advisor Hall of Fame, a distinction reserved for establishments that receive the Certificate of Excellence five years in a row.”
On the subject to Royal Resorts Jaime adds, “For me it means being part of a huge family, working for a company which has as its founding principles honesty and integrity and that has always treated its employees well. It is a company that cares about the community and the environment and about the image of Cancun as an international destination.”
