The Wonderkid

Why open a Mexican restaurant in Shanghai? I wanted to be somewhere with a lot of excitement and movement, and Shanghai is the economic engine behind China's growth. Before I came to Shanghai, I was working for JP Morgan in Delaware, but the office setting wasn't for me. After a while, I just left.

What's special about Adobo? The food is what's special. I want to “sell” our food, not a big name or the variety of tequila shots. I was born in Mexico City and lived there for 14 years, so I care about having authentic Mexican food. What ingredients are the most difficult to get here? Chiles. All types of Mexican chiles, especially fresh ones are almost impossible to find. We have them imported from Mexico.

You work with a Chinese chef who specializes in Italian food. Has that been a challenge? No, no big problems. And if need be, I can put myself behind the stove. I spent most of my life in restaurant, my mother owns several restaurants in Mexico City. Every few weeks, we also bring in chefs from Mexico to work with our chef and on the menu. How does it feel to have your own restaurant in your twenties? Great! I've always wanted to be a restaurateur. I'm constantly looking to my mother and friends who call me long-distance from Mexico for advice. We all believe Adobo has a lot of potential.

Joanne Yao