Jose Camarena
República | Portland, OR
JULY 2023
When Jose “Lalo” Camarena wrote a paper in the third grade about being one of the best chefs in the world, he was determined to make that dream a reality. Born and raised in the San Fernando Valley and spending much of his upbringing in Mazatlán, Mexico, Camarena didn’t have many chances to be in the kitchen. His only opportunity to learn was to watch the women in his family cook. At 15 years old, Camarena moved to Portland, Oregon, where he joined the team at a local brewpub as a prep cook and dishwasher before eventually joining the kitchen at Cena, an artisanal Italian restaurant. There, he learned how to make pasta and received a fish masterclass from the restaurant's chef. He decided to enroll at the Oregon Culinary Institute, working two jobs on the side to pay his way. Camarena also staged at various restaurants in his spare time, eager to interact with as many ingredients, techniques, and cuisines as possible.
After graduation, Camarena returned to Cena and accepted the chef de cuisine position. With the pandemic hitting shortly thereafter, he decided to take some time away from the kitchen, before going on to join the team at Elements in Vancouver, Washington. When Camarena heard about the opening of República in Portland, he was immediately drawn to the Mexican restaurant’s focus on the history and politics that shaped the nation and its food. Although he was considering an opportunity in Alaska, República owner and Rising Stars alum Angel Medina convinced him to stay. Now, at just 23 years old, Camarena is the restaurant's executive chef, putting out dishes that are meticulously detailed and encompass global flavors and elements. At República, he makes a point to engage his staff, teaching his team how to make moles, leading fish fabrication workshops, and stressing the importance of the history and meaning behind each ingredient and technique.
