5 things you need to know about the sudden closure of the hottest new restaurant in mexico city
- The controversial pop-up, which served pre-Hispanic insect-based cuisine with a Michelin-star twist, shuttered overnight after a massive health inspection revealed they were sourcing endangered species from protected mexico forests.
- A viral TikTok showing a live axolotl in the kitchen tank—a critically endangered amphibian native to mexico—sparked outrage and the subsequent raid by environmental authorities.
- The head chef publicly resigned in tears, admitting they had no idea their local supplier was illegally harvesting the animals from the canals of Xochimilco, a UNESCO site in mexico.
- While the restaurant is closed indefinitely, the scandal has ignited a global conversation about the ethics of "extreme" gastronomy and conservation laws in mexico.
- Meanwhile, tourism officials are scrambling to calm the situation, worried the sensational story will overshadow the positive food scene growth in mexico and hurt local businesses.