Thalía Barrios García`s
Culinary Journey
Thalía Barrios García brings the spirit of her hometown to life through her unique cooking at Levadura de Olla and La Cocina de Humo, two bright swirls of light in Mexico’s vibrant food scene.
(Mexico Special) Thalía Barrios García has “the eye of the tiger.” The 30-year-old chef behind two of Oaxaca’s most ambitious culinary venues—Levadura de Olla and La Cocina de Humo—has been immersed in cooking since childhood. Growing up in San Mateo Yucutindoó, a remote village in Oaxaca’s Sierra Sur, she helped in her family’s kitchen from the age of seven, and worked in the cornfields with her parents. After earning a degree in gastronomy, Barrios García opened her own restaurant at the age of 24, just before the global challenges of 2020. Her cooking reflects a deep sense of community, celebrating the rich, hopeful alchemy that is Mexican cuisine.
Gustatory memories are important for Barrios García. Her cooking ethos pays homage to seasonality and those who rely on the land and its offerings to make a living, just like she and her family have done. After all, a huge part of her life—and a key to survival—was “milpa,” the traditional Mesoamerican agricultural system that combines maize, calabaza squash, beans, and chilies. This method not only sustained her family with the crops they grew and harvested themselves, but also shaped her deep connection to Mexican culinary heritage. And because milpa is so deeply linked to her culture, part of Barrios García’s mission is to offer others the opportunity to experience it—from the ground up.
Lessons from the Metate
Barrios García recalls fondly her grandmother, Catalina, making her famous traditional tamales with a recipe that remained unaltered through the years. “Even when she grew older and wasn’t strong enough, she refused to replace her metate (mealing stone) with a blender to make masa dough. I was just seven years old at this time, and instead of turning on the blender to make things faster, she taught me to properly use the metate and follow the procedure of a recipe while making tamales,” she says.
“There are some non-negotiable principals
in the creative process which include
seasonality and strong local status.”
“Something so simple, such as being involved in the kitchen, at a young age provided me with the essential knowledge that later on would establish my career.”
Well before deciding to become a chef, Barrios García prepared the daily meals for her family, an activity she never considered a “tiresome or complicated task.” The transition from home cooking to professional kitchens came naturally, and immersing herself in roasting, simmering, sizzling, and kneading on a daily basis for other people—besides her loved ones—turned out to be a one-way career path. “I wasn’t aware of the existence of institutions—universities specializing in gastronomy education—and that what I already enjoyed doing was also a profession. I never imagined my life as a chef because, in my community, doctors, engineers, lawyers, or professors were some of the popular professions to study, but here I am!
The original idea was to graduate from one of the above-mentioned fields, return to my hometown, and create a place where I could sell food, but in the small community I come from, most people grow and prepare everything they need by themselves.”
For Barrios García, farmers are the lifeblood of every community, and she treasures every seed she touches. Who inspired her most in shaping her path? “My parents,” she says, reflecting on her deep bond with her hometown. She’s a powerful example of hard work and a clear reminder of how stepping outside your comfort zone and taking risks can truly pay off.
No Signatures, Only Seasons
Her first venue, Levadura de Olla—now awarded a Michelin star—opened in 2019 in a place of “gastronomic inspiration and worship of the culinary roots of the Sierra Sur of Oaxaca.”
Despite the challenges associated with the global pandemic in 2020, Barrios García’s restaurant gradually prospered, achieving a reputation well beyond her region. The name Levadura de Olla literally means ‘claypot yeast’ and refers to the traditional bread (pan de levadura de olla) Barrios García’s family used to make and sell. “This place is much more than a restaurant,” she says. “It is an infinite library that showcases Oaxacan gastronomy and is built on constant research in distant rural towns, exploring their markets, ingredients, and culinary traditions.”
Ask her the often-debated question—“Do you have any signature dishes?”—and she’ll politely but firmly say “no.” Her menu changes every two to three weeks, reflecting a dynamic approach rather than fixed favorites.
“There are some non-negotiable principles in the creative process which include seasonality and strong local status,” she says. “Every addition on the menu has a background story.” Still, you’ll likely get to taste her celebrated tomato dish—thinly sliced tomatoes, seasoned solely with salt, beetroot purée, and a fruit-based vinaigrette. Available year-round in evolving versions, the dish showcases different tomato varieties depending on the season.
Barrios García is also the head chef and owner of La Cocina de Humo (Smoke Kitchen), a project that originally shared space with Levadura de Olla until December 2021. This is not a restaurant in the traditional sense. Instead, it’s a more intimate concept—designed to resemble a traditional Mexican home, complete with a courtyard and inviting spaces that host a limited number of guests.
It’s a reservation-only culinary haven where traditional experiences and Oaxacan cooking classes take center stage in an expressive introduction to chef Thalía’s talent.
Sharing the Harvest
“It’s not a ‘going back to roots’ project but a ‘showing off our roots’—one with a deep respect for the season and that’s the reason the menu changes every week,” Barrios García explains. “We use a variety of products we grow ourselves or have them delivered directly from the people who grow them.” These concepts also inspire the initiative ‘Sharing your Harvest’—an open invitation to producers and restaurateurs from different communities to join a network where products and ideas are exchanged, fostering new opportunities for collaboration.
The same philosophy can also be found in the beverages showcased in both Barrios García’s venues. Why opt for a glass of wine when locals drink pulque, an alcoholic infusion made from the fermented sap of the agave plant? Or try a refreshing herbal infusion, or tepache—a fizzy fermented drink made from pineapple peel and rind.
There’s no doubt that Barrios García is part of a new generation of chefs aiming to inspire and pave a path for more to follow. The “Culinary Knowledge Exchange Forum” she annually organizes is dedicated to students in the food industry, chefs, photographers, and even florists—bringing together people engaged in gastronomy from all perspectives. She has also created a space that offers pro bono support to people from other communities, giving them the tools and foundation to build a future in any field—not just in food. And that, perhaps, is her true legacy.