Francisco Aguilar
Simón | Los Angeles
April 2024
Francisco Aguilar’s culinary fascination began as a child in Oaxaca, sneaking scraps off the table and concocting little bites for himself while his mother and grandmother prepared meals in the kitchen. When he was older, Aguilar cooked for himself and his siblings, creating dishes and encouraging them to try new things while their parents were at work. He was hooked on the freedom and creativity of cooking and knew he wanted to become a chef. He started working in kitchens before enrolling in culinary school and, after graduating in 2018, helped his friend open a restaurant in Oaxaca.
Eager to study a wider range of culinary formats and techniques, Aguilar left Mexico and headed to Los Angeles. While working at Ruth's Chris Steak House, he learned how to work with meat but, more importantly, he also learned how restaurants operate in the United States, from systems to permitting and everything in-between. After cooking under Chef Joshua Gil at Mírame, Aguilar felt ready to strike out on his own.
In 2022, he opened Simón, a vibrant seafood-focused food truck serving updated, outside-the-box takes on traditional Mexican dishes. Now a fixture in the Silver Lake neighborhood, Aguilar is rethinking formats and protein pairings through preparations like his shrimp enchilada suiza with salsa verde, Monterey Jack cheese, and lime-habanero crema. With a new 28-seat, meat-driven brick-and-mortar on the way, Aguilar is focused on supporting his team and growing his business, while maintaining his unconventional culinary style in the kitchen.
