Cooks In The Campo - Patsy Dubois: A Life Seasoned By Food, Art, And Mexico

By Judith Jenya

Some people arrive in San Miguel de Allende and leave their mark quietly, over decades, through relationships, creativity, and an open door. Patsy Dubois is one of those people. Having lived in San Miguel for more than 50 years, she has witnessed — and participated in — the city’s transformation from a small colonial town into the international cultural center it is today. Artist, cook, storyteller, and host, Patsy is one of San Miguel’s most interesting and enduring characters. Born in Washington, D.C., Patsy grew up primarily in Tulsa, Oklahoma, though her background was anything but provincial. One grandparent came from France; her mother traced family roots back to the Mayflower. Summers were spent on the beaches outside Boston with her mother’s family, giving her an early sense of movement between cultures and places. Art was a constant in her life, and she studied it seriously in college. She began cooking as a young child when her father put her on a wooden box in front of a gas stove and told her to cook. She learned to cook and read at the same time.

Patsy first came to San Miguel in 1966. She returned to Tulsa and in 1969 returned to San Miguel where she earned her Master’s degree at the Instituto Allende in fine arts. Over the next 15 years, she moved back and forth between Mexico City, Tulsa and  San Miguel.  She taught art and English as a second language. Her time in Mexico City proved especially formative. Through her teaching, Patsy became close to the young Miguel de la Madrid — long before his father became president of Mexico. When the de la Madrid family moved into Los Pinos, the presidential residence, Patsy was invited to stay in a guest cottage there.

At Los Pinos, Patsy learned cooking directly from the military chefs working in the residence who cooked for the president’s family. These experiences deepened a love of Mexican cuisine that would later define much of her life in San Miguel. Food, for Patsy, was never just about recipes — it was about people, tradition, and shared stories.

Patsy returned to San Miguel full-time in 1988. Her early work reflected the practical realities of expatriate life in those years. She worked for a woman who owned a horse ranch, managing 40 poodles and supervising 30 workers. She cared for homes and rental properties, and she honed her culinary skills by working with a cook at the Hotel Sierra Nevada.

Eventually, cooking moved from passion to calling. In the 1970s, Patsy bought 88 acres of land in the campo outside San Miguel. Life there was rustic by any measure. For months there was no electricity and no running water. Patsy cooked by candlelight and used gas instead of electricity for 4 years. Her water came from neighbors and nearby properties.

Out of those years grew her interactive cooking classes. Using recipes gathered from all over Mexico — many learned directly from home cooks, market vendors, and professional chefs — Patsy created classes that were immersive, informal, and deeply personal. Patsy credits her many teachers for her wide range of Mexican cooking skills.

In 2004, her house, with a large, welcoming kitchen and party room was ready. Patsy made Sunday lunches, did catering, as her special events became legendary. In 2022 she sold her former home that has since become a winery. In the past 4 years she has built  two additional houses on the remaining land, allowing her to once again focus on teaching and hosting classes.

Today, Patsy’s cooking classes are as much about connection as cuisine. Guests may pick vegetables from the garden, cook alongside her,  observe and sample, and take home recipes. Her favorite dishes include poblanos, deeply flavored refried beans, pork with orange sauce,  fried squash blossoms stuffed with goat cheese and mango gazpacho. Spending time in Patsy Dubois’s kitchen is not simply a cooking lesson, followed by a delicious meal. It is a journey through Mexico as it once was, guided by a woman who has lived it fully and generously, as I can attest.

Patsy’s classes for 4 to 7 people now can be: completely hands-on; partly hands on with preparation ahead of time’,  or she can be a personal chef and the participants can enjoy a day in the county a great meal and the use of her private hot springs.

You can reach Patsy atpatsydubois@gmail.comPatsy Dubois on FacebookWhatsApp  415 153 5303

www.patsysplace.com.mx