Nearly two years after its debut, El Verano offers a taste of upscale Mexican cuisine in a setting inspired by the charm of vacation summer homes in Mexico. Customers enter a vibrant space filled with beautiful greenery and colorful decor as they enjoy dishes rooted in the heritage of acclaimed chef Julian Medina.
Medina grew up in Mexico City, where his love for cooking first began. In pursuit of his career, he moved to New York City, where he graduated from the French Culinary Institute. Noticing a lack of refined Mexican dining in Southampton, Medina created El Verano to bring the bold flavors of his roots to the area. Blending Mexican coastal charm with rich culinary traditions, El Verano brings something new to the Southampton dining scene.
Medina shared some of his signature dishes, journey through the cooking field, and highlighted El Verano’s fresh and locally sourced ingredients that shape each creation.
What drew you toward cooking as a career?
Well, first, I started as a chef back in Mexico. I wanted to be a cook; that was the main attraction of getting into this business. I knew what I wanted to do, but didn’t know anything about it. So, getting involved in the kitchen and working in restaurants caught my eye in the beginning. But then little by little I started getting more passionate about cooking and I enjoyed what I was doing.
Then I moved here to New York, working in some other restaurants, and my passion for cooking was just really vibrant. That’s when I started working as a chef and opening restaurants, not on my own, [but] I kind of was making them successful and then I said ‘why not? I should [open] my own restaurants.
Are there any dishes in El Verano that are personal or significant to you?
We have some chicken enchiladas that come with a pineapple manchamanteles salsa that I grew up eating. [It was] my grandmother’s recipe … that’s one of the dishes [from] my childhood.
Describe El Verano and what it means to you.
I started El Verano in Southampton because I have a house there for several years, maybe 13-14 years and that’s my summer [home] … I definitely never wanted to open a restaurant [out in] the Hamptons, but my realtor said that she had a great space in Southampton for me, so she showed me [it], I went and checked it out, and I really liked it. So, I said ‘let’s make [an upscale] Mexican restaurant because there [aren’t any upscale] Mexican restaurants in all of the Hamptons.
I love to cook with local ingredients from Northport [farm] or any other farms out east. [I love] mixing it and incorporating it with Mexican cooking. So I thought that this is something different. Southampton is well-known for Italian restaurants, so I wanted to do something different.
How often do you adjust or change the menu? Do you change a lot of it based on the seasons?
So, the menu is set for the summer, but I do a lot of specials. For example, [during] the Long Island strawberry season, I do [create a special dish using strawberries]. Last year, I bought strawberries and made ceviche. [I’ve made] a salmon tiradito, which is thinly sliced salmon almost sashimi style, and then the sauce I made out of locally sourced fresh strawberries … [For some dishes it] depends on what’s in the market or what’s in the farms.
What do you think is special about El Verano?
The atmosphere is fun, you can come and have the greatest Margarita in a fun environment, and the food is off the charts. You can come in at any time of the day, and you will have a great meal. We have outdoor seating, so people can enjoy sitting outside. That’s what people like to do out east!
