At Oro by Nixta, chefs Kate and Gustavo Romero lean into the versatility of humble corn. The restaurant, which opened in the spring of 2023 in Minneapolis, highlights corn in nearly every dish on the menu. Specifically, Mexican heirloom corn—the Romeros are on a mission to preserve Mexico’s 59 heirloom varieties from being lost. (By comparison, the US grows only four varieties of corn, despite producing a third of the world’s supply.)
“There’s a tendency in this country to think that Mexican food like corn tortillas should be cheap,” said Kate. The Romeros want to change that narrative. “The difference between commercial corn and heirloom corn products is like Wonder Bread versus a sourdough baguette.”
Photograph by Graham Tolbert
Photograph by Graham Tolbert
Photograph by Graham Tolbert
Photograph by Graham Tolbert
On Oro by Nixta’s menu: Gorditas, tamales, chochoyotes (a type of masa dumpling), and, of course, fresh tortillas—in a variety of vibrant colors reflecting the diversity of its sourcing, like blue Bolita corn from Oaxaca and pink Xocoyul from Yucatan. The Romeros are making the case for not only the power of biodiversity, but also the spiritual importance of corn to Mexican cuisine. “The first time I tried Mexican food in this country, I thought, This is not what we eat,” said Gustavo, who grew up in Hidalgo, Mexico, a central state north of Mexico City. “Corn is bigger than us [at Nixta], and the way we can protect it is by showing how versatile it is, its many uses.”
BA spoke with them about their mission, why corn is such a powerhouse, and how they’re using their restaurant to educate diners about Mexican food.
Bon Appétit: What fuels your work at Oro by Nixta?
Gustavo Romero: We realized a lot of people in the Midwest never had a good tortilla. There was a lack of understanding for what we were doing—and we’re in the middle of corn country. We were doing things that were new for folks, even the farmers we worked with. For multicolored corn, some people thought we were selling burnt tortillas, but they were just made of blue corn. We realized that we’d need to educate people about why corn is so central to what we do.
We import most of our corn from Mexico. There are 59 Mexican heirloom varieties, and we’ve used about a third of that—some varieties are just too difficult to source in large quantities. We process and cook about four different-colored varieties for tortillas and other masa-based dishes. Our favorites are blue Bolita corn and pink Xocoyul. Their texture is soft and pliable.
BA: How would you compare commercial corn to the heirloom corn you use?
Kate Romero: The difference between commercial corn and heirloom corn products is like Wonder Bread versus a sourdough baguette. We want people who would pay for the superior quality of a baguette to understand that it’s worth doing the same with heirloom corn tortillas.
GR: The price of heirloom corn tortillas is higher because it’s harder to source and harder to ship to us here in Minneapolis. But it’s a better product. It tastes more complex, and you don’t need to eat as many to feel satisfied. It’s also more nutrient-dense—calcium, potassium, and niacin are all further activated by its distinct version of nixtamalization, a process that’s been around for centuries.
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