Every season of Pati's Mexican Table ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best seasons of Pati's Mexican Table!

Pati’s Mexican Table Season 9 explores one of Mexico’s largest states: Sonora. Pati travels the rugged, stunning terrain of the Sonoran desert to the sparkling, bountiful Sea of Cortez. She meets the inspiring and creative chefs behind Sonora’s bold cuisine along the way. Sonorans say they’re Mexico’s best-kept secret. Join Pati as she shares their secret bite by delicious bite.

Quesadillas

If you’re fighting a war, how do you cook food on the run? What sort of meals can you make around ranches, porches, and rustic bonfires? What might Pancho Villa or Emiliano Zapata have eaten? This episode looks at the culinary legacy of the Mexican Revolution.

Foods of the Revolution

This episode shows us how to pick and prime the perfect Mexican avocado, then walks us through three great recipes. As a bonus, she learns how to make an avocado martini from one of the top bars in Mexico City.

Avocado

Meet the tomatillo–this small, plump, green fruit was a favorite of the Aztecs and stars in any number of Mexican dishes today. Its tart flavor is worlds apart from the taste of tomatoes, but is just as juicy and unforgettable. This episode will show you where to find tomatillos, how to cook with them, and tips and tricks for creating amazing dishes.

Tomatillos

Aren’t convents supposed to be austere, dull places? In Mexico, everything’s a little more colorful–including the food of Catholic nuns. Delicious, labor-intensive mole is probably the most well known food to come out of the convents, but this show will explore some slightly easier, but just as tasty.

Convent Food

In Mexico, it’s not uncommon to find both food and water deliciously flavored with hibiscus flowers. Commonly known as Jamaica, it has an intensely herbal, fruity taste. This episode will show us some of the places you can buy it in the US, then share recipes that include it.

Hisbiscus Flowers or Jamaica

What’s on the menu at a typical Mexican picnic? Are some foods, like hot dogs and hamburgers, universal? Turn your backyard into a little slice of Mexico by tweaking some old standbys. Learn how not only Mexican food has been adapted outside of Mexico, but also how American dishes have been transformed in Mexico.

Mexican Picnic

A Mexican brunch is the perfect way to ease into the weekend. What kinds of recipes are truly Mexican but truly inspired, too? This episode will look at what a late breakfast/early lunch in Mexico might look like, and what recipes you can prepare in your own home.

Mexican Brunch

Who doesn’t love sausage? Chorizo, the Mexican version, is a deep-burnt-reddish explosion of fresh, moist, exotically seasoned flavor. When it’s fried, it becomes crisp and incredibly savory. This episode will look at the difference between Mexican chorizo sausage and its Spanish, Central American and South American cousins.

Chorizo

Mexico is now the largest importer of cinnamon in the world–but how do they use it that’s so special? Just how different is the Ceylon or True cinnamon used in Mexico from the Cassia cinnamon of Southeast Asia?

Cinnamon

Immigrants from Lebanon, Syria and Israel have left a tasty influence on Mexican cuisine over the years; this show will look at how they came to such a far-flung (but fascinating) country and what kind of legacy they’ve contributed–other than Frida Kahlo and Salma Hayek, of course.

Middle Eastern Influences

Vanilla only comes in a bottle, right? Oh, it’s a bean!? Where on earth do I find vanilla beans and then how do I cook with them? Do I crack them open? Wait, vanilla comes from Veracruz, Mexico–not Madagascar!? This episode will explain all of that, plus share a few amazing vanilla-infused recipes.

Vanilla

Mexicans have been wrapping and cooking food in leaves for a long time, and this episode will look at the reasons why. It will also share three scrumptious dishes you can make in your own kitchen with the wrapping method and with three different kids of wrappers! We’ll also look at some shortcuts and tips for cooking wrapped foods in your own kitchen, as opposed to the traditional method of digging a pit or steaming them in an enormous pot.

Wrapped Treats

Jump into a Lucha Libre ring and experience the kind of fighting spirit that fuels a great love of Mexican food. These classic recipes provoke heated discussions in Mexico, but are perfectly tasty regardless of which twist on ingredients you prefer.

Classic Mexican Food Battles

The same foods that parents pack into a hearty school lunch in Mexico are perfect for school lunchtime in America. These dishes are so tasty and filling, even grownups will want to take them to work.

School Lunch with a Mexican Spin

A tasty look at the way French cuisine has historically influenced modern Mexican cooking, and simple techniques any American cook can manage with impressive results.

A French Twist on Mexico

Simple, easy, home-style cuisine that you’d find in just about any Mexican home, recreated for the American kitchen. This meal was my favorite “everyday” meal growing up in Mexico, and one I regularly make for my own family today. I am proud to share the steps so that you can enjoy it too.

Easy Comfort Food

Fun, kid-friendly and (mostly!) finger-food that you’d find at a children’s party in Mexico, adapted for American parties at home.

Mexican-Style Kids' Party

These home-style dishes are a staple at the small restaurants known as “fondas” in Mexico — and delicious inspiration for busy cooks in American homes today. Make them once, and they’ll become easy to make but special treats in your own kitchen.

Fonda Favorites

The breakfast of your dreams, prepared by Pati and her sister Alisa. This episode includes both quick, simple dishes and ones meant for a deliciously messy morning feast.

Family-Style Breakfast

This episode puts a twist on tequila by using it in a number of tasty, savory and sweet recipes sure to impress special guests. Mixologist extraordinaire Derek Brown shows Pati how to make one of his signature cocktails, and she uses tequila to ignite a main dish.

Tequila!

Pati takes you to Xochimilco, the legendary floating gardens of Mexico, and sprinkles a few flowers into some impressive but easy Mexican recipes.

Xochimilco: Cooking with Flowers

By adding a few key Mexican ingredients to what you’d normally find in an all-American pantry and fridge, you get these to-die-for, lip-smacking dishes.

Lip-Smacking Mexican Meal

Travel with Pati to the state of Puebla to see why it isn’t just the site of the legendary Cinco de Mayo battle — it’s also home to some of Mexico’s most luscious, delectable culinary treats.

Puebla: Food from a Colonial Jewel

This episode explores three very different, very authentic and very simple twists on Mexican tacos, one of Mexico’s most iconic foods.

Tacos, Tacos, Tacos

Forget soy and tofu; these are authentic Mexican recipes where produce, fruits and vegetables are naturally the stars.

Naturally Vegetarian Mexican

Huevos a la Mexicana; shredded flank steak with potatoes in green salsa; Mexican rice with prawns; orange vanilla flan. Pati travels to Mexico City to reconnect with her father and help him cook one of her favorite childhood meals: Huevos a la Mexicana. Back in her own kitchen, she’ll use that visit as inspiration to cook a few dishes that she remembers fondly from childhood, and then pass on the tradition by cooking dessert with her youngest son Juju.

Born in the Kitchen

Pati is in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, a pretty vacation town known for cobblestone streets, colonial architecture, art galleries and delicious eats. This week, Alan, Sami and Juju have a break from school, so she brought them along! The Jinich family has just arrived in San Miguel, and Pati wants to kick off the week with a delicious breakfast. But first, she’ll introduce us to San Miguel.

Good Morning, Mexico!

Pati is vactioning in San Miguel de Allende, which has lots of opportunities for rest & relaxation, but today Pati is here for one thing - FOOD! From street food to fine dining, San Miguel has always been one of Mexico's top culinary destinations! Pati is going to show us the highlights of the food scene, then she'll head back to the kitchen to cook up recipes that reflect the region.

Adventures in San Miguel

There are so many delicious ways to enjoy tacos, and Pati is constantly trying to impress her boys with new twists on traditional taco recipes. Her sons love tacos so much that the Jinich's have a family tradition every couple of weeks: Taco Night! While the family is on vacation in San Miguel, Pati has decided to bring their Taco Night tradition to Mexico.

Taco Night!

It's the end of a great week in San Miguel, so Pati and her family decide to have a summer evening party - the perfect end to a fun family vacation. First, she'll head to a few places in San Miguel for ingredients, Agropark and a local winery. Back home she'll cook a big, celebatory family dinner to be enjoyed on their patio, while the sun sets over the city.

Summer Evening Party

An episode dedicated to one of Mexico's most iconic foods: tamales. Pati will cook a few variations of tamales, both savory and sweet, then her girlfriends stop by for a tamale party - a tamaliza!

Tamaliza!

Pati’s family is the perfect example of cultures colliding – Mexican and American. The happy result is the creation of unique and tasty recipes. Pati dives deep into the blending of these cultures and comes up with some classic American recipes that have a delicious Mexican twist. She also takes us to a local restaurant where she learns the owner’s own unique Mex-American story.

Mexamericana

Pati is in constant contact with her fans - through Facebook, Twitter, email - and they love to give her feedback on her recipes. In this episode, Pati will update and put new spins on her three most popular recipes according to the fans. And she'll surprise a lucky fan by showing up at his or her house!

Cooking with the Fans

Street food has always been popular, but these days it's booming as more and more chefs are bringing food trucks and stands to the streets! In this episode, Pati visits the city of Guanajuato, known for having some of the best street food in all of Mexico, to highlight some of her favorites. Then, she shows us how we can recreate some of them in our own kitchens.

Street Food Favorites

This show is all about Pati's middle son, Sami. Being stuck in the middle of first born, Alan, and Mr. Personality himself, Juju, isn't always easy for Sami. Every once in a while, Pati likes to give Sami a day all to himself, and he'll help her as she cooks his absolute favorite foods!

Sami's Big Day

Pati meets two chefs in Mexico City who are putting modern spins on Mexico's age-old cuisine. She then taps into that creativity to show us her ideas for how we can "modernize" our Mexican kitchen.

Modern Meets Traditional

Every family has passed-down recipes, and Pati’s is no exception. Food has always been a central part of her family life. She’ll show us a couple recipes that were passed down to her, as well as a recipe she hopes to pass down to her sons. Also, meet Pati’s mom and sister, as she joins them for lunch at one of their favorite restaurants in Mexico City.

Family Favorites

Mexican cuisine is chock-full of grilled, roasted, fried and frozen recipes, but for those looking to expand their repertoire with some baked recipes, this episode is for you! Today, Pati's Mexican Table becomes Pati's Mexican Bakery with a variety of simple recipes - all of which bake right in the oven.

Baked!

Pati is throwing a picnic for family and friends in her backyard. She'll make some of her favorite "picnic foods" and serve everyone outside picnic-style. It also happens to be her husband Dany's birthday, so a big surprise is in store!

Backyard Picnic

Pati heads to the coastal city of Champotón, Mexico, and gets a warm welcome from her friend Chachi. They taste their way through the local market and gather groceries for a family dinner at Hacienda Niop, where Pati learns the secrets behind the area’s most prized dishes including a giant tamal cooked underground. Back in her home kitchen, Pati makes her own simpler versions of those dishes.

Chachi’s Champotón Kitchen

Pati gets an insiders look at Mérida, the capital of the Yucatán, with help from local chefs Pedro Evia and David Cetina. She explores the forefronts of molecular gastronomy, botanas or “bar snacks” at a cantina, family classics at the market, and even foreign influences like Kibi. One thing is for sure, Mérida is a food-lovers’ city.

Mérida: Exploring with the Locals

Pati’s good friend chef Pedro Evia, of K’u’uk restaurant in Mérida, takes her on one of his favorite day trips – a visit to the coastal town of Celestún. After a meal featuring the morning’s catch and seeing the main attraction (the flamingos), the day culminates in a cookout right on the beach. Back in her kitchen, Pati channels the charming fishing village with a simple, yet impressive meal.

Celestún: Coastal Cooking

Sunday in Mérida is a joyous weekly celebration of food, dancing, and culture. The day is incomplete without a family meal. Luckily, chef Roberto Solís, of Néctar restaurant, welcomes Pati into his home for a traditional Sunday supper. Back at home, Pati whips up her own Sunday dinner for her own family, roasted pork tenderloin enchiladas covered in mole verde.

Sunday Family Food

Exploring Campeche, Mexico, a colonial city defined by its history of piracy; turkey panuchos; La Pigua features regional dishes pescado verde and grilled octopus.

Campeche: Tale of a Pirate City

Pati’s sons are in México, and she wants them to experience the true essence of Yucatán. They climb the ancient ruins of Uxmal, then cool off in one of the thousands of hidden cenotes (swimming holes). To fill their bellies, they eat the best tamales they’ve ever had along with the region’s signature dish, cochinita pibíl. Back home, Pati gives her own twist to this honored dish.

Ancient Yucatán with My Boys

Pati heads to Izamal, known as the “yellow city” with its colonial buildings all glowing in gold. Pati tastes the local venison tacos that people travel all the way from Mérida to enjoy, and the traditional pok chuk is not to be missed. Back at home, Pati takes the flavors of the region and infuses them into a classic lasagna and a pepita brittle for dessert.

Izamal: Gold & God

Pati’s favorite way to explore a city is without a plan. Today, she’s in Valladolid, a city known to most as a stopover between Cancún and Mérida. She tries the local specialties, lomitos de Valladolid and longaniza de Valladolid. Back home, Pati makes her own version of her the lomitos and a soup you’ll find on every menu in the region.

Valladolid: A Day to Explore

Known for white sand beaches, crystal clear turquoise waters and the friendliest locals in the Mexican Caribbean, Isla Mujeres is a haven for people from all over the world. Pati takes a day to explore and try the local delicacy, Tikin Xic. Back home, Pati prepares her own version to share with her boys, along with roasted broccoli and cauliflower and a dessert wrapped in a crispy wafer roll.

Isla Mujeres Inspired

Pati explores Cancún to taste inventive dishes and experience the fusion of traditional Mexican cuisine with international flavors, like tuna tartar kibi and cold pork belly salad at Casa de Cristian Morales. Back at home, she and her sister, Alisa, are grilling up some summertime specialties: shrimp rolls, grilled potato salad and a pineapple dessert.

Cancún: We Meet Again

Pati is preparing an epic Thanksgiving meal like no other because this one has a Yucatecan twist. Trade in your turkey for a citrus brined bird and boxed stuffing for one with chorizo, apple and cornbread. Brussels sprouts get spiced up with habaneros and pork belly. With Pati’s family and closest friends around the table, don’t expect there to be any leftovers.

Turkey Day

Pati’s oldest son, Alan, is heading off to college. She wants to make sure he’s prepared with some basic cooking skills, since mom won’t be doing the cooking at school. At the grocery store, Pati teaches Alan some essential shopping know-hows. Back at home, they make a simple dinner that is sure to impress: a perfect steak, double baked potatoes, and the best ever no-bake Mexican chocolate pie.

Alan Goes to College

Pati invites her good friend and celebrity chef, José Andrés, to cook with her. They join forces in her kitchen to whip together a series of Mexican and Spanish-influenced recipes that will be a hit on any family table.

José Andrés Takes Over

Pati shows how to get the most out of one day in the city of Oaxaca. In 24 hours, she takes in the top sights, meets up with a local guide, goes to the market for lunch, and gives viewers a taste of the vibrant restaurant scene in one of the top culinary destinations in all of Mexico. In her kitchen, she recreates some of the things she had at the market and gives them some new uses.

One Day in Oaxaca

Pati takes us on a deep dive into the history of Oaxaca cuisine from pre-Hispanic origins, to the introduction of Spanish techniques, and finally modern day movements. She starts by tasting ancestral recipes at the local market. Then, she meets up with a friend and historian who takes her to a restaurant, where they eat traditional Oaxaca recipes with a modern twist.

History of Oaxaca Cuisine

Pati travels to the small town of Teotitlan de Valle to meet with one of the best cooks in Oaxaca, Abigail Mendoza. Abigail is opening her home to show Pati her dedication to preserving the pre-Hispanic techniques and recipes of her Zapotec ancestors. Back in Pati’s kitchen, her experience with Abigail inspires recipes that feature few ingredients used in rustic Oaxacan ways.

A Queen in the Land of the Gods

Pati takes a drive to a region in Oaxaca known for producing some of the best mezcal in all of Mexico. She meets the producer of a small family-run operation and learns how mezcal is made, from field to bottle. Back home, she has a mezcal-inspired get together with a few close friends and serves a bountiful Mexican steak salad and Oaxacan sours made with mezcal.

The Mezcal Trail

Pati spends a day with one of Oaxaca’s best-known chefs and owner of Casa Oaxaca, Alex Ruiz. Alex takes Pati on a personal journey through his favorite market and family farm, showing her the Oaxaca that he knows and loves. In her kitchen, Pati creates some family friendly recipes inspired by her day with Alex and serves them to her son Juju.

From Pueblo to City

Pati meets with women chefs, business owners and leaders of society, exploring the role of women in Oaxaca and their influence on the customs and cuisine. In her kitchen, she cooks recipes that she learned from Oaxacan women including coloradito chicken and a mashed potato cazuela. Then, she ends with a favorite of the women in her family, a milky and luscious chocolatey dessert.

Women of Oaxaca

Pati takes us on an in-depth exploration of all things mole. Oaxaca is known as the land of moles, and there are too many varieties to name. Through instruction in her kitchen and exploration while in Oaxaca, she’s going to give us the basics of mole, some of its history and importance, and a few of her personal favorite recipes.

The Art of Mole

Pati travels to a region in Oaxaca known as La Mixteca and learns what makes the food and culture so unique. She meets up with Ixchel Ornellas, a chef, restaurant owner, and one of Mixteca’s best cooks, who invites her on a personal tour of her city. Then, back in her kitchen, Pati creates new recipes based on that experience: corn soup with queso and pescado agridulce.

In Search of La Mixteca

Pati visits the town of San Martin Tilcajete to meet Maria and Jacobo at their famous art school. There, she learns the ins and outs of their delicate alebrije making process and tastes an outrageously delicious liver and eggs meal prepared for the artists. In her kitchen, those eggs are an inspiration for a Oaxacan-themed breakfast.

Oaxaca Breakfast: Messy and Delicious

People are always asking Pati how she turned a passion for food into a career. Over the years, she’s told the story in bits and pieces but she’s never told the full story. Throughout this episode, she’ll explain where her passion for food started, what decisions led her to where she is today, and some of the twists and turns she took to get here.

How I Got to Now

Pati spends the day with her youngest son, Juju. Juju is known for his obsession with chocolate. In this episode, they spend the day in the kitchen coming up with three delicious chocolate-loaded recipes.

Juju’s Chocolate-Covered Life

An episode dedicated to one of the Jinich’s favorite ingredients: cheese. In her kitchen, Pati cooks three mouthwatering cheesy recipes – one for each of her boys. In Oaxaca, Pati and her three sons visit a cheese producer to see how the famous Oaxacan cheese is made.

Cheesy

In this episode, Pati makes a few family staples with recipes that have many different uses. Perfect for busy families on the go, these recipes can be set aside or kept in the fridge to use later in a variety of delicious meals. They’re more than just a meal, they’ll keep your family satisfied all week.

More Than Just a Meal

One of the most up and coming food destinations in all of Mexico, Tijuana is full of young, fresh talent across the culinary scene. Some of the best chefs in the world are coming from all over and setting up shop to take part in Baja’s most exciting culinary movement. Pati spends the day meeting up with the hottest new chefs in town.

Tijuana’s Culinary Revolution

Life on the border is a melting pot of cultures and cuisines that creates a unique culinary scene. As a Mexican immigrant in America, Pati spent her life combining cuisines. Influences from San Diego, southern Mexico, and all over the world come together as Pati dives deep to get the real story of what life and food are like on the border.

Tijuana: Stories from the Border

The port town of Ensenada is a seafood mecca. Fresh fish is everywhere you look, and this hub for seafood exportation is also the gateway to Mexican wine country. Pati eats her way through this coastal gem from their famous fish tacos to La Guerrenese, considered the best street food on the planet, to the oldest bar in Baja and originator of the margarita, Hussongs.

Ensenada’s Epic Seafood

In Valle De Guadalupe, Pati visits one of the most legendary cooks in the area, Doña Esthela, who began with a humble burrito stand outside of her home. By word of mouth, her restaurant gained a reputation for one of the tastiest breakfasts in the world. Pati cooks with Doña Esthela and then takes the inspiration back home, where she whips up a Baja-style breakfast for her boys.

Baja Breakfast

With over 100 wineries, people are traveling from all over to experience Mexico’s wine region in Valle de Guadalupe. Pati visits to learn the history of the region and find out what caused it to explode in popularity. She tastes wine and eats a top-notch meal at Bruma with Chef David Castro Hussong. Then, she catches up with old friends at Monte Xanic winery, one of the region’s oldest wineries.

Mexican Wine Country

One of Baja’s most well-kept secrets has Pati on a mission to explore bite-by-bite. Loreto is a small town on the Gulf of California that almost feels like a step back in time. Pati visits the oldest mision in Baja California to learn about the town’s history. She can’t leave without trying a dish you can only get fresh in Baja – the indigenous almejas chocolatas or chocolate clams.

Baja’s Hidden Gem

Pati explores La Paz, the capital of Baja Sur. She swims with whale sharks in the crystal clear waters of the Sea of Cortez, then satiates the appetite she worked up at El Bismarkcito, a seafood institution on La Paz’s waterfront. She also stops to meet with Chef Carlos Valdez of Tatanka, a vivacious local chef with a sense of humor and some must-eat food.

La Paz: The Heart of Baja Sur

Pati spends a day with Javier Plascencia, one of Baja’s most celebrated chefs. He gives her a tour of the Baja he knows and loves, exploring the areas of Todos Santos and Pescadero. They make a pit stop at his favorite roadside carnitas stand, tour a local organic farm, and head to the beach for fresh-off-the-boat fish. Finally, they make their way to Javier’s newest restaurant, Jazamango.

Road Trippin’ with Javier Plascencia

Pati visits the small town of Miraflores with Edith Jimenez, a culinary icon in Los Cabos. At age 15, starting out as a waitress, Edith decided she would one day own the restaurant where she worked and is now living her dream. Owner of both Edith’s Restaurant and The Office, she ensures the preservation of history and culture by consistently using recipes from locals in the area.

The Godmother of Cabo Cuisine

Pati sets out on the Sea of Cortez in search of the freshest, tastiest seafood Los Cabos has to offer. Along with Chef Guillermo Gomez of Cabo’s luxurious Esperanza hotel, Pati reels in a fresh catch and heads back to the shore. Pati grills up her catch-of-the-day beachside with Chef Guillermo, as they discuss the evolution of Cabo San Lucas from small fishing village to vacation destination.

Los Cabos by Land & Sea

Pati is invited to cook a Cinco de Mayo dinner at the prestigious James Beard House in New York. While in New York, she visits three Mexican-American culinary establishments around the city to hear the chefs’ stories of using food as a way of pursuing their dreams in America, creating their own successful businesses, and honoring traditional Mexican recipes and ingredients.

New York

Friends and family always tell Pati she has an extraordinary photographic food memory. She can recall a bite of a memorable dish from decades ago as if it were just yesterday. So, Pati decides to recreate some of her most favorite food memories in her own kitchen and give the stories behind the dishes.

Photographic Food Memories

Pati’s passion for travel doesn’t stop in Mexico, she also has a soft spot for her American travels. Plus, Pati is always feeding her three growing Mexican-American boys. In addition to adoring their mom’s Mexican dishes, her sons love some American classics. So, Pati will put her Mexican spin on a few regional American dishes to surprise her boys.

Mex’d Up American Regional Favorites

Pati visits Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa. Founded in 1531, Culiacán is the center of trade for produce, meat, and fish. Locals pride themselves on the produce cultivated from the land and nearby sea. Celebrated chef and culinary ambassador Miguel Taniyama takes Pati to the best markets, street food stands, and restaurants. In her kitchen, Pati creates recipes inspired by the experience.

A Local’s Tour of Culiacán

Altata is a small coastal town with stretches of beautiful beaches. Pati meets locals and chefs as the town embarks on a journey to reinvent itself from sleepy fishing village to tourist destination. She takes a boat ride to sample fresh oysters right from the water and visits restaurants serving fresh seafood. At home, Pati prepares a seafood feast based on the bountiful waters of the Altata Bay.

Altata, Hidden Gem by the Sea of Cortez

Pati welcomes dear friend and fellow public television chef and host Vivian Howard to her kitchen. In this south of the border meets southern food experience, Pati and Vivian will cook a couple of their classic recipes for each other, looking for connections in cultures and food.

South by South of the Border with Vivian Howard

Pati heads to Los Mochis, a coastal city in the northern region of Sinaloa that was founded by Americans in the late 1800s. After learning its unique history and getting an incredibly delicious tour of the street food, Pati returns to her kitchen to create two mouth-watering taco recipes that take her right back to those street stands in Los Mochis.

Los Mochis, Street Taco Favorites

Sinaloa’s premiere resort town has 13-miles of beautiful coastline and some of the best restaurants in Mexico. But Mazatlán has overcome a complicated history. Pati meets two close friends, chefs Luis Osuna and Zahie Tellez – both witnessed the evolution of Mazatlán firsthand. They each give her a personal tour of the city, and chef Luis takes Pati to his family’s restaurant, Panamá.

A Taste of Mazatlán

Pati is in El Fuerte, one of Mexico’s “Pueblos Mágicos” or magic towns. Now a quiet colonial town, El Fuerte was the most important commercial and agricultural center in northwest Mexico for over 300 years. After a walking tour and a stop at the Hotel Posada Hidalgo to try their famous cauques, a unique local shellfish, Pati creates a few lobster recipes in her kitchen.

El Fuerte, Magic Town

Pati travels into the mountains of Sinaloa to the tiny village of Jinetes. The small population of barely 100 people live on whatever the land gives them. Miles and miles removed from civilization, they’ve managed to preserve their customs and recipes for generations. Pati is the first visitor to come learn from their culinary traditions and they’ve prepared a feast fit for the occasion.

Jinetes, Adventure in the Mountains

The El Chepe railway is a historic passenger train offering stunning views of the Sinaloa countryside and the Copper Canyon. Pati rides the first section of the train’s journey, from Los Mochis to El Fuerte, and tastes the gourmet offerings from the train’s restaurant, Urike. Back home, the early morning train ride inpsires Pati to make a delicious breakfast based on Sinaloan classics.

El Chepe, Railway to the Past

Mocorito is known for one of Sinaloa’s most beloved recipes: a slow-simmered pork dish called chilorio. Pati visits Victoria Gonzalez, a cook known for having one of the best chilorio recipes. Then she goes with Victoria to see her sister, Fabiola, who specializes in another Sinaloan classic, jamoncillo: a soft candy made of sugar and milk. In her kitchen, Pati perfects her own chilorio recipe.

Mocorito, The Land of Chilorio

Celestino Gasca didn’t exist until about 30 years ago and is becoming a vacation destination due to its magnificent beaches and idyllic surfing conditions. Pati meets restaurant owner Carmen and helps her cook an iconic Sinaloan dish: pescado zarandeado. Then, she travels to the nearby fishing village Las Barras to learn how to harvest percebes, a tiny crustacean considered a delicacy.

Surfside Eats

Known as “Mexico’s Breadbasket,” Sinaloa produces about 40% of the meat and produce consumed in all of Mexico. Pati travels the countryside to get an up-close look at the wealth of resources Sinaloa has to offer. She visits a dairy farm known for its fresh cheese, tours a high-tech produce farm, and gets a fresh-water fishing lesson from a master fisherman.

A Day in Sinaloa’s Countryside

Pati visits home cooks and an iconic restaurant to sample some of Sinaloa’s most beloved dishes. She meets a family of bread bakers in Altata to try their rustic pan de mujer. And she goes to one of the most famous restaurants in Mazatlán, Cuchupetas, which is beloved by celebrities, politicians, and locals for delicious seafood and a one of a kind experience.

Home Cooking Sinaloa Style

Pati travels to Tucson, Arizona, which claims to have the best 23 miles of Mexican food anywhere in the world. She visits restaurants and meets local chefs to get a deeper understanding of what Mexican food in America truly is. What happens to recipes when they cross the border? How do different cultures connect and shape the food we eat? And what is this Sonoran hot dog everyone is raving about?

How Do You Say Tucson?

In Tucson, Pati learns the basics of artisan bread-making from one of America’s best bakers, Don Guerra of Barrio Bakery. This experience sets her on a mission to cross into Sonora, Mexico, to see where the Sonoran wheat Don uses for his breads originates. Pati takes what she learned back to her kitchen to create a menu of tasty recipes using wheat flour.

Tucson: Gateway to Sonora

Pati spends a day in Sonora’s capital, Hermosillo, visiting some of the city’s best culinary destinations. From gigantic burritos at Doña Guille, to a meat lover’s feast with the owner of the popular restaurant Mochomos, mingling with the young crowd at La Ruina brew park, and a treat no trip would be complete without, Sonoran hot dogs.

Hermosillo Food Crawl

Pati experiences two important Sonoran culinary traditions. First, on the coast in Bahía Kino, local fishermen receive “the blessing” from a woman from the Seri tribe before heading out on the water to catch giant sea scallops. Then, in the mountain town of Matape, Nere, one of Sonora’s few female butchers, shares with Pati a tradition called “the benefit.”

The Blessing and The Benefit

Pati learns that carne asada goes way beyond grilled meat in Sonora. It’s an important weekly ritual that brings the whole family together. Back home, Pati throws a carne asada in her backyard for her husband and boys. First, she teaches them the basics of a true Sonoran carne asada. Then, for dessert, a whipped peanut buttercream and grape galette.

Carne Asada with La Familia

Sonoran wheat has shaped the cuisine of the entire Mexican north and is a staple of Sonoran cuisine. Pati tours one of Hermosillo’s oldest flour mills and gets a lesson on making coyotas, a traditional dessert, at a local bakery. In her kitchen, Pati shares her take on a classic Sonoran recipe: a carne con chile burrito. Then, she shows us how to make coyotas at home.

Flour Power

Pati spends a day in the kitchen with her middle son, Sami, cooking recipes inspired by her travels in Sonora that she knows he’ll love – beef and potato chimichangas, rice with lentils and caramelized onions, and an avocado and radish salad. In Sonora, Pati sees how the family bond can be the secret to delicious recipes at a famous family run street food stand, Johnny’s Tacos in Hermosillo.

Sonoran Family Favorites for Sami

Pati travels to Sonora’s coast on the Sea of Cortez, where local legend Toño Contreras gives her a tour including shellfish on the beach, his restaurant Mariscos El Rey, and his home kitchen for some crave-worthy recipes. This inspires Pati to make a couple seafood-loaded recipes at home – double-stacked shrimp and cheese tacos and a Sonoran-style shrimp and scallop tostada.

Legends of the Sonoran Sea

Pati makes three classic Sonoran recipes, each one a meal in itself: a fish special called pescado zarandeado, a rich stew called gallina pinta, and a tasty dirty rice with clams. In Sonora, she visits vacation destination Puerto Peñasco, where some of the town’s best chefs take her to the local market and invite her for a feast of their favorite recipes from the region.

The Best Seasons of Pati's Mexican Table

The Best Seasons of Pati's Mexican Table

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Season 6

Season 7

Season 8

Season 9

Season 10

Season 11

Season 12