Illustration by Jonny Ruzzo
Liliana Jaime is a busy woman. She runs operations for the Mi Cozumel chain—which has six locations in Greater Cincinnati and more to come—as well as Azul Tacos & Tequila in Springdale. We recently spoke with her about creativity, her love of Mexican food and the desire to share that love across cultures, and why enchiladas are the best.
Who taught you how to cook Mexican food?
I have always loved the art of cooking and was fascinated by our rich culinary traditions as a young girl in Mexico. Although no one directly taught me how to cook, I worked at several Mexican restaurants before founding my own and worked alongside several talented chefs. I learned countless techniques and styles from them and chose to take their best skills with my own twist to implement into my vision for Mi Cozumel.
Why did you decide you wanted to run your own restaurant?
Owning my own restaurant has always been a dream of mine since I started working in the restaurant industry. Ironically, I was fixed on studying engineering, but while working as a hostess, server, and later a manger, I became deeply passionate about transforming and innovating the essence of Mexican restaurants. I wanted to create a space where our culture could be shared and deeply felt by anyone who walks through our doors.
Who inspires you?
I draw inspiration from every person I meet. Pioneering a new wave of Mexican restaurants requires an immense amount of creativity and innovation, but most importantly, it requires me to understand what people truly love and bringing that to life through my culture. Every time I visit one of my locations and see our guests celebrating their birthdays, graduations, or simply enjoying a date night with friends or partners, I feel deeply inspired to continue expanding my vision of creating spaces that are a festive, meaningful, and exciting part of people’s lives.
What’s your favorite Mexican dish to eat/make?
Enchiladas are my favorite by far and bring back many fond memories. I believe they are one of the most versatile Mexican dishes that encompass our culture through fresh tortillas, salsas made from scratch, and skillfully cooked meat or vegetables. The depth of flavor and savory smell takes me back to my childhood in Mexico and makes me feel back at home as a little girl eager for my mom to finish preparing them.
It seems like every time we look up there’s a new Mi Cozumel location opening somewhere. It must be very exciting. What drives your expansion plans?
I wish that the whole world could try Mi Cozumel the way I intended for it to be experienced. I poured my heart and life savings into this project, because I truly believe that every customer deserves an unforgettable dining experience through bold and fresh flavors, exotic and flavorful margaritas, and our festive spirit. My vision is not just about serving food. It’s about creating moments where people feel something, which motivates me to continue expanding so more and more people can experience Mi Cozumel. My goal is to eventually expand throughout the East Coast and continue sharing our thrilling vision with new communities beyond Ohio and Kentucky.
Walk us through what your work day looks like as the owner of a chain of restaurants.
Truthfully, there really is no such thing as a typical work day for me. Running a business on this scale is a daily feat that looks different every day. My mind is always racing with new ways to improve and I truly do live and breathe my brand 24/7. As soon as I wake up, I thank God and set 10 clear goals for the day, which I believe are the two most important parts of my work day. I start my day with a morning run which helps fuel my creativity and centers me before the long day ahead. In my office, I hold daily briefings with the managers from each location to stay updated on operations, challenges, and wins. Clear communication is extremely fundamental to my brand at this scale. From there, I respond to e-mails and connect with my marketing team to review campaigns, branding initiatives, and upcoming promotions.
A large portion of my time is also spent meeting with contractors and architects as we design new locations or reimagine existing spaces. I love brainstorming new concepts and collaborating with my extraordinary teams to continue elevating our guest experiences. Collaboration is incredibly important to me, so I make it a point to consistently meet with different teams throughout the day to maintain our quality and vision. In the afternoons, I typically visit a minimum of two or three locations.
Being present matters to me and continuing to connect to my team and guests is my favorite part of the day and helps me ensure that the spirit of our brand continues to thrive in every space. At the end of the day, I reflect on whether we achieved the goals I set that morning and think about how we can improve tomorrow. I close the day by giving thanks to God once again and praying for clarity to continue to lead my team. I love that no two days are ever the same, because it gives me the opportunity to keep learning and creating for my brand.
Is there anything you’d like our readers to know?
As a family-owned business, we are truly part of the communities Mi Cozumel has the privilege of serving. This is not just where we operate; it’s where we live. Our children grow up in the same schools, we attend the same events, and we share everyday life alongside our guests. That connection makes our guests feel more like family than customers and has enhanced our team’s passion for always giving you the best experience.
Mi Cozumel has locations in Newport, downtown, Oakley, Kenwood, Finneytown, and Lebanon.
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