Taqueria Poblano owner James Lazor talent-spotted James Vasquez when the chef was participating in the Countrywide Distributors New Zealand National Culinary Competition in Queenstown in August and offered him the job in his Cow Ln restaurant.
"I didn't have much holding me back," Mr Vasquez said.
"This is the first job I've had in a Mexican restaurant but it's not different to me. It's very common food in San Diego and everywhere in the States we have taco shops.
"It's a great opportunity to get to know New Zealand better, and - what can I say? - I love this town."
Born 21 years ago in Escondido, near San Diego, Mr Vasquez grew up in both Ramona and Tamazulapan in the state of Oaxaca on the Pacific coast south of Mexico City.
He was the first in his family to go into the cooking profession and graduated from the culinary school of the Art Institute of California.
His first job was for Country Inn, and he said the employers and catering for functions, such as weddings and barbecues, instilled in him the work ethic needed in the kitchen.
He also toiled at the sprawling Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino on a Native American reservation near San Diego.
He was a cook on a intensive conveyor-belt type system of food preparation and was cross-trained between 11 kitchens that served four restaurants and a food court.
However, the greatest influence on his direction was his grandmother, who cooked and passed on recipes to him every time he visited.
"She'd make all the traditional dishes, like molé with a chocolate base sauce with two types of chilli and lots of spices. And barbacoa, barbecued goat or lamb tenderised in a pit overnight and served with posolé, a soup with kernals of homony.
"Food is the centre of hospitality in Mexico. Everywhere you go, people will offer you a plate, such as corn tortilla with beans, rice or meat.
"It's so ingrained in our culture, it's taken as an insult if you don't accept."
After three days of training at Taqueria Poblano in Dunedin and four weeks at the Queenstown restaurant, Mr Vasquez said it was liberating to work with just two other kitchen staff compared to dealing with thousands of colleagues and a hierarchy of bosses at the Barona casino.
He said he was keen to roll on to the menu the street food culture from Tijuana and the popular foods available in southern California.
The chef said he wanted to introduce such appetising fare as small corn tacos, more authentic than flour tortillas, and also chimichangas, a personal favourite involving a deep-fried burrito with different sauces and salad placed on top.
"I love rising to a challenge and I really appreciate the food culture here in Queenstown. Everyone seems to appreciate quality food and it's good to see only one McDonalds and KFC."
