masienda

This week, we're venturing into the vibrant world of Mexican cuisine with executive chef Sarah Thompson of Casa Playa at Wynn Las Vegas. At Casa Playa, she presents a vibrant and creative menu featuring bright, California and Baja produce and seafood, woven together with a robust masa program–drawing upon her culinary expertise refined at New York City’s lauded Cosme. Chef Thompson graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, and amassed experience at some of New York City’s most noteworthy restaurants including Marea and Alder.

As a hyper-regional coastal Mexican restaurant, the menu’s emphasis lies in locally selected seafood. Thompson sources nearly all of her fish from the Pacific coast, and similarly, she works with purveyors that source fresh, seasonal produce from 50 of the best farms across southwest Nevada, California, and Arizona–also receiving bi-weekly deliveries from the famed Santa Monica Farmers Market. Corn, chiles, and agave serve as the backbone of the Casa Playa menu and are sourced directly from small producers in Mexico via Masienda. Most notably, Chef Thompson’s masa program is incredibly layered and distinctive with six distinct corn varieties imported from Oaxaca and nixtamalized in house.

Topics Discussed:
Early Culinary Influences
Transitioning to New York's Culinary Scene
Diversity in Culinary Experiences
The Masa Program at Casa Playa
Navigating the Vegas Culinary Landscape
Collaborative vs. Solo Work
Embracing Diversity in Cuisine

SARAH THOMPSON
Sarah Thompson and Casa Playa -Wynn on Instagram
Check out the menus at Casa Playa
Podcast episode: How to Make and Use Masa with Masienda Founder Jorge Gaviria

CHEFS WITHOUT RESTAURANTS

If you enjoy the show and would like to support it financially, please check out our Sponsorship page (we get a commission when you use our links).  

Get the Chefs Without Restaurants Newsletter

Chefs Without Restaurants Instagram
Chefs Without Restaurants on TikTok
Chefs Without Restaurants on YouTube
The Chefs Without Restaurants Private Facebook Group
Chris Spear's personal chef business Perfect Little Bites

 SPONSOR INFO
 United States Personal Chef Association
This episode is sponsored by the Unites States Personal Chef Association. Visit their website  and use code "Happyholidays2023" to save $100 on membership.

To learn more about membership, advertising, or partnership opportunities, call Angela at 800-995-2138 ext. 705 or email aprather@uspca.com.

This week’s guest is Jorge Gaviria, founder of Masienda, and author of the new book Masa. On the show, you’re going to get the Masienda origin story, and find out why it all started with the corn. Jorge explains nixtimalization, which is the process of turning corn into masa, and how to nixtamilaze and grind your own corn at home.

For those who just want to buy the masa harina, I asked him about water temperature, hydration, and the differences between the corn types. We also talk about brand partnerships, as Masienda has teamed up with companies like Jacobsen Salt Co., Made In, and Hayden Flour Mills.

But I f there’s anything I would like you to get out of this episode, it’s that making tortillas at home is so easy. If you love tacos and Mexican food you should order a bag of Masienda masa harina right now.

MASIENDA AND JORGE GAVIRIA
Buy the book Masa
Masienda Website
Masienda Instagram
Maienda YouTube Channel
Buy Masa Harina and Much More Here

CHEFS WITHOUT RESTAURANTS

If you enjoy the show, and would like to support it financially, check out our Patreon, or you can donate through Venmo or Buy Me a Coffee. 

Get the Chefs Without Restaurants Newsletter

Visit Our Amazon Store (we get paid when you buy stuff)

Private Facebook group

Chefs Without Restaurants Instagram

Founder Chris Spear’s personal chef business Perfect Little Bites

Some of the links above are affiliate links meaning that I get a small commission if you purchase something through one of those links.

Sponsor- The United States Personal Chef Association
Over the past 30 years, the world of the personal chef has grown in importance to fulfill those dining needs. While the pandemic certainly upended the restaurant experience, it allowed personal chefs to close that dining gap.  Central to all of that is the United States Personal Chef Association.

Representing nearly 1,000 chefs around the US and Canada.  USPCA provides a strategic backbone for those chefs that includes liability insurance, training, communications, certification, and more. It’s a reassurance to consumers that the chef coming into their home is prepared to offer them an experience with their meal. USPCA provides training to become a Personal Chef through our Preparatory Membership.  Looking to showcase your products or services to our chefs and their clients, partnership opportunities are available.
 
Call Angela today at 800-995-2138 ext 705 or email her at aprather@uspca.com for membership and partner info.

Jorge Gaviria joins the show to speak with Feedfeed Senior Producer Alexa Santos (@alexawhatsfordinner) about his passion for masa - which is a corn dough used in so many recipes! Jorge, a small business owner, has a brand new cookbook out called Masienda, which delves into all things masa.

Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support The Feedfeed by becoming a member!

The Feedfeed is Powered by Simplecast.