Chef Jorge Guzmán exits Chilango, steps away from Minneapolis restaurants

James Beard-nominated chef Jorge Guzmán has left Chilango, the Minneapolis restaurant where he was chef and partner.

Guzmán is leaving “to pursue a new chapter outside of the Minneapolis restaurant scene,” according to an announcement from Chilango. He is currently the executive chef of a Dayton, Ohio, restaurant group with three concepts, including one where he is part owner, Sueño.

With his departure earlier this year from Minneapolis neighborhood hotspot Petite Leon, this move leaves the Twin Cities without a Guzmán restaurant. Guzmán has been a local culinary fixture for the past decade at bold-name establishments such as Corner Table, Solera and Surly’s lauded fine-dining restaurant Brewer’s Table.

“They’re always hard to leave, but this was a very amicable split. There’s no animosity, there’s no anger,” Guzmán told the Star Tribune in an interview. “It’s just a very personal decision for me to just step away from the restaurant scene. I feel good about it. I just need to focus on myself and my family at this point in time. It’s been a long 10 years.”

Guzmán opened Chilango in April 2024, with managing partner Zach Sussman. The restaurant, anchoring the Beach Club Residences, was originally a home for Guzmán‘s vision of “Mex-Tex” cuisine, with Bde Maka Ska views.

The restaurant garnered a 2.5-star review in the Star Tribune, with former critic Jon Cheng writing “at Chilango, Mexican-born chef Jorge Guzmán has a knack for threading references — masa, vivid salsas and wildly complex moles — into the crevices of staple Tex-Mex.”

“It has been an absolute privilege working with Jorge to bring Chilango to life,” Sussman said in a statement. “We are deeply grateful for his vision skill, and dedication, and we wish him nothing but success and happiness in his next chapter.”

Murray is already building “upon the core of Chilango’s menu while introducing his own culinary flair,” the announcement says, while also hinting at future changes for the restaurant.

“Our vision is to be the answer to the question, ‘Where can I go for a fun dinner in Minneapolis?’ We want to bring back the old Chino Latino vibes, and be the place you go to have fun, eat great food you won’t find anywhere else, and enjoy a memorable dining experience at a great value,” Sussman said.

Look for an “entirely revamped” menu in the weeks ahead.

As for Guzmán, he is planning to take a leave of absence of “at least a year, if not more” from Minneapolis restaurants, and he has a “pending position somewhere in Minnesota outside of the traditional restaurant role.”

He added: “It is a shift in focus on myself and my needs.”