Got food poisoning, food was crap

Let me start by introducing myself - I am Marcus Medina, executive chef and one of the owners of the newly reopened Q Mex. Without questioning the veracity of the previous review, I wanted to respond to some of the statements made.

First of all, I can assure everyone that here at Q Mex we follow the strictest standards for food safety and cleanliness – the same high level of quality that I have demanded of all my restaurants, including those in California and New York.

I received my initial culinary training in Mexico City at the legendary Escuela de Alta Cocina run by Patricia Quintana, one of Mexico’s most famous chefs. We were extensively trained not only in Mexican cuisine and cooking techniques but also in food safety and kitchen operations. I brought my love of Mexican food and devotion to high standards to my first restaurant – a Mexican taqueria – that my brother and I opened 32 years ago in central California.

After 12 years of running our restaurant in California, we move to New York and opened “The Taqueria” in Park Slope, Brooklyn. We were one of the first to introduce California style burritos to New York City. For five years straight we were in the top five “Best Value,” in Zagat’s NYC restaurant guide.

In NYC, I also served as executive chef of a regional restaurant chain called “Blockheads”, opened a gastro diner near Times Square called “Vynl”, and later opened another very successful Mexican restaurant called “Rachel’s Taqueria” (named for my mother), which my brother and I still own and operate.

In the course of operating these restaurants, I personally designed and oversaw food safety training programs for all of my employees, teaching them the techniques of food handling and food sanitation. I have always taken the health and safety of my customers extremely seriously, and my team at Q Mex is well-trained and just as committed as I am to serving delicious, creative, and safe food.

I would like to offer the previous reviewer a free meal to reassure him that his ailment did not originate from us because everything I ever learned about food safety tells me that it is virtually impossible to get food poisoning only two hours from having your meal. Also we invite the previewer or any other interested reader – a personal tour of the Q Mex kitchen. Come by any time and ask for Marcus – you can find me in the kitchen making the same delicious Mexican food that I have devoted the last three decades of my life to. I look forward to welcoming you to the new Q Mex.