Best known as the chef-owner of CRUjiente Tacos, a Valley favorite that closed after a nine-year run in May 2025, Rich Hinojosa is turning the page. After a brief stint at Toca Madera and a side project designing San Antonio-style puffy tacos at TEXAZ Grill, Hinojosa joined Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia in December, overseeing four restaurants (including flagship Spanish eatery Prado) at a property he has long admired. No stranger to resort kitchens – his résumé includes executive chef roles at the Hotel Jerome in Aspen and The Wigwam in Litchfield Park – Hinojosa talked to us about gigs past and present.
How does it feel to be back in a resort kitchen?
It was heartbreaking to abruptly close [CRUjiente], but I was either going to start over or take a step back and look for other opportunities. I’m really excited to be back in a resort. I love being part of the extended hospitality experience.
Any major changes in store? Will we see fancy tacos?
We have a very talented and dedicated culinary team in place [and] will definitely dig into revamping some of the menus, but it will be piece by piece. I want to do some fun events on the property – tasting dinners and wine dinners – where I’ll be able to showcase a little more of my style and some of those things that I love to do. I’m sure at some point a few CRU favorites will pop up, either for special events or at [casual diner] Centro.
Tell us about your most memorable meal.
In 2019, I was going to be in Italy for six days with my oldest daughter. I called everybody I knew – friends who are Michelin-star chefs, friends in import industries and wine import industries – and was finally able to secure a reservation at Osteria Francescana, which is a 3-Michelin-star restaurant in Modena. We had dinner there together and it ended up being the restaurant’s last service as the No. 1 restaurant in the world. It was truly amazing on so many levels, and taking my teenage daughter to experience this dining experience was very memorable.
What music do you listen to in your kitchen?
The years that I came up in, kitchens were silent. If there was too much chatter, the chef would definitely let you know, and that became the norm for me. Then, one of the restaurants I worked in put emphasis on music in the kitchen while we were prepping, and it was a game changer for me. Here, I’ll let everybody play what they want. When I’m in the kitchen and cooking, I listen to classical music.
