In celebration of the Hispanic Heritage Month and Hispanic food, today we’re welcoming three accomplished chefs from Austin, Texas with a Mexican heritage. Chef André Natira from the Fairmont Hotel, Chef Rick Lopez from La Condesa, and Chef Edgar Rico from Nixta Taqueria. They are here to share what this month honoring their cuisine means to them, how they interpret Hispanic cuisine in their respective restaurants, and the importance of corn in the culture. We’ll also take deep dive in mole that demonstrates the vast diversity, complexity, and creativity in this geographically specific sauce category.
What you'll learn about Hispanic Heritage Month and Hispanic food
- Why you should visit Nixta Taqueria, La Condesa, and the Fairmont Hotel in Austin (5:24)
- What Hispanic Heritage Month means to them (6:01)
- Where Texas and Mexico meet on the plate (7:41)
- The expanse of Mexican cuisine (9:41)
- Chef Edgar Rico explains the important role of corn (12:17)
- Chef Andre Natera talks about how Hispanic chefs have emerged in recent years (13:17)
- The hierarchy of high-end Mexican food influences (21:17)
- Changes to the fine dining ambiance (23:04)
- Chef Edgar Rico and Rick Lopez share their travels through Mexico for inspiration (27:11)
- Adopting the Mexican attitude of cooking with love (32:26)
- Andre Natera talks about the Unique flavors of El Paso (35:26)
- How US Mexican flavors vary from food in Mexico (36:30)
- Chef Rick Lopez talks about expressing love through food (40:10)
- The difference between the French and Mexican cooking styles (40:58)
- Grilling techniques and working with fire (44:34)
- Understanding nixtamalization with Chef Edgar Rico (46:00)
- A lesson in roadside tortillas (48:26)
- All about mole (51:41)
- A rare and unusual mole rosa (56:12)
- Breaking the mole mold (58:38)
- Food memories conjured up by smells (1:04:14)
- Industry advise that should be ignored (1:08:10)
- Ditching the BOH machismo (1:09:48)
- Series of rapid-fire questions
- Link to the podcast episode on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/flavors-unknown-podcast/id1438591377?i=1000536849542
Links to other episodes with Latino chefs talking about Hispanic food
Interview with chef Erik Ramirez from Llama Inn and Llama San
Conversation with Pastry Chef Antonio Bachour from Miami
Interview with Pastry Chef Philip Speer from Austin
Conversation with chef Levon Wallace from Fatbelly Pretzels in Nashville
Interview with blogger and author Mely Martinez
Conversation with chef Shamil Velazquez from Charleston
Interview with Celebrity Chef Jose Garces
Links to most downloaded episodes (click on any picture to listen to the episode)
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- Andre Natera
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- Edgar Rico
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- Rick Lopez
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- Emmanuel Laroche, Andre Natera, Rick Lopez, and Edgar Rico
