A Seat at the Table with Chef Alex Raij
For our September catalog, we set the scene at one of Brooklyn’s most beloved restaurants: La Vara, the jewel-box neighborhood spot where Chef Alex Raij and her husband and partner, Eder Montero, bring history, heritage, and extraordinary flavor to the table. Alex, a first-generation Argentine-American, has become one of New York’s most celebrated chefs, with a career spanning five acclaimed restaurants and countless accolades, including Michelin stars, James Beard nominations, and recognition from Eater, GQ, and The New York Times. At La Vara, she and Eder explore Jewish and Moorish legacies in Southern Spain, creating food that is both transportive and deeply personal.
We sat down with Alex to talk about her inspirations, her approach to cooking, and how style and flavor come together at the table.
Q: Fashion and food share a lot in common. Both are seasonal, both rely on creativity, and both tell stories. Do you find inspiration in fashion when creating your menus? What inspires you the most as a Chef?
A: So much! Textile and design are always on my mind. How we serve things is a reflection of the practicality and refinement that I pay attention to in food and fashion. I love for things to look simple and be impactful and for textures and materials to be beautiful but layered. Often we use veils as a metaphor and slice paper thin layers of fish or pork and lay it over another ingredient or salad.
Q: Our fall collection was shot in your neighborhood with a focus on routines and rituals. What is your daily ritual as a chef in Brooklyn?
A: In Brooklyn in particular I like to run along the water near pier 5 when I can, shop the borough hall market for tomatoes and fruit Tuesdays and Saturdays and admire the community gardens, window boxes and iron work. At night when I leave in summer, the warm light in the town houses and smell of white flowers always reminds me to pay attention.
Q: What do you love most about Cobble Hill (besides La Vara, of course)?
A: I love our wine bar Saint Julivert Fisherie. It’s the most dream driven of our spaces and if it wasn’t mine, I’d be jealous of it. I love our neighbors, community, the park, and remembering how my kids used to play on the stoops while we unpacked the market hauls.
Q: If La Vara were a piece of clothing, what would it be and why?
A: Veil or Shawl something that can be pulled back and reveal secrets but also comfort and hide complexity or adorn plainness. Something you can dance with.
Q: Do you have a personal style outside the kitchen? Does it tie back to your cooking style in any way?
A: I’m very uniform based day to day. Denim and a striped shirt - navy is my black and like them paired together. I love red and yellow too. In the summer, I love dresses with a white shirt or pink pashmina and metallic sandals.
Q: It’s your night off from cooking. Where do you like to go for great meals and atmosphere?
A: My family loves the food the at the East Village Raku. I also love having lunch at Thai Diner.
Q: Looking ahead, what’s exciting you right now in both the food world and beyond?
A: I’m most excited about traveling and seeing movies. Blood Orange is coming out with a new album of 4 songs, just like a coursed menu.
Stop in for a glass of wine and a quick bite!