HEATING UP

In Mexico City, chefs from across the Asian diaspora are redefining the city's cuisine. Michaela Tremble traces a culinary connection that spans centuries.

MEXICO CITY IS a melting pot of the country's most beloved cuisines, from Oaxacan moles to cochinita pibil from Yucatán. Many visitors, however, may not know that the capital's culinary scene is also heavily influenced by international flavors, particularly those from Asia.

CDMX has one of Latin America's largest populations of residents with Japanese and Korean heritage. East Asian immigrants first arrived in Mexico in the late 1800s as industrial workers; today, their culinary customs are being combined with Mexican ingredients by a new generation of chefs-some of whom were born in Mexico and some of whom moved there to make their mark.