Michelin-Starred Maize Mafia: Grasshoppers, Duck Fat & Fake Masa Drama
At Houston's Tatemó, James Beard nominee Emmanuel Chavez is serving maize like it's the new Bitcoin—only with tortillas! His 16-course tasting menu painfully nixtamalizes heirloom corn by dawn and mixes A5 wagyu from Japan with grasshopper dust for a 'fine dining' carne asada that, spoiler, tastes just like carne asada. Expect labor-intensive ninja tuna prepped so perfectly the nerves flee in terror. Duck legs are simmered in orange, Mexican Coca-Cola, and leftover duck fat (because waste not, want not) before tempura frying—yes, with frozen rolls. And did someone say plantain tortillas masquerading as masa? Houston wasn’t ready for sniff-small-portions couture dining, but Chavez bravely ignored the gang’s grumbling 'people want big portions' mantra, teaming up with ants, cookies, and chile "A5" of the spice world to sprinkle culinary chaos across its four-year-old Michelin star.
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When your tacos require an A5 wagyu sear, grasshopper dust, and a side of insect-fueled awkward conversations, you know Houston dining just hit peak 'pretend we're fancy but really just carne asada'.
Proof Houston needed a Michelin star was so someone could convince us that fried duck tempura rolls lubricated with Mexican Coke is worth giving up our pizza binge nights.
Cooking tortillas at dawn, using cookies in mole paste, and seasoning meat with grasshopper dust: Emmanuel Chavez just turned 'authentic Mexican' into 'culinary cryptid'.
Source: Eater | Published: 10/29/2025 | Author: Emily Venezky
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