CHECKING IN WITH JAVIER SOSA:

Newport Beach’s restaurant community, one of the richest in Orange County, got richer in February when Javier’s Cantina and Grill opened in the Crystal Cove Promenade. Owner Javier Sosa, who grew up in Tijuana, started his first restaurant in Laguna Beach in 1995 and later expanded to Irvine and Cabo, Mexico. The Javier’s in Laguna Beach closed this year. Sosa met recently with the Daily Pilot to talk about life in and around the kitchen.

How did you get into the restaurant industry?

When I was 13, I started working at a restaurant in Tijuana. The guy who was the owner was my neighbor, and he put me in charge of some of the ordering and being a cashier.

What kind of restaurant was it?

It was a restaurant called El Cochito. They used to sell carnitas.

What was the first restaurant where you worked in America?

When I first came to Laguna Beach to work in a restaurant, it was because I needed some money. My friend told me that they needed a dishwasher, so it was in the summer and I decided to come with my friend to work as a dishwasher at Tortilla Flats.

Was that your first American job?

No. When I was 17, I worked in Los Angeles with my brother at a furniture store.

What’s the most enjoyable part of running a restaurant?

Everything.

Have you ever been a cook?

Yes. I have done every position in the restaurant business all the way from dishwasher, bartender and waiter to host.

The last time I ate at Javier’s, you told me Mexican food is more sophisticated than most people think. Can you tell me a little more about that?

A lot of people in the U.S., especially around this area in Orange County and Los Angeles County, I think they’re getting more and more sophisticated with their Mexican food. They know a lot more about the food and a lot more about tequilas. They know more about the culture of Mexico and the architecture of Mexico.

Are there any great Mexican dishes a lot of Americans don’t know?

There are a lot of great dishes in Mexico. I think the cuisine in Mexico is more extended than any other cuisine in the world.

How did you first learn to cook?

When I was 13 years old, I used to work in line at El Cochito. So I was cooking when I was 13 years old. And when I grew up watching my mom cook, a lot of times I used to go and do my own food because my mom was too busy. Sometimes when I came home from school, I used to go into the kitchen and cook something for myself.

What was the first thing you learned to make?

When I was growing up, the first thing I wanted to learn was how to make flour tortillas. I remember that.

So you operate three restaurants now — one in Mexico and two in California. What’s your secret of success?

Everything we use here, from meat to fish to seafood, is what a five-star restaurant would use. We never use frozen fish. It always has to be fresh. We use the best steaks and only buy the best cuts. But the success that I have had here is due a lot to the people who work with me. I don’t think of them like employees. They’re like family to me.

MICHAEL MILLER may be reached at (714) 966-4617 or at [email protected].