Chef Fermin Nunez {Suerte, Bar Toti, & Este}
Perhaps one of the most well-known faces of Texas cuisine for his appearance in Netflix’s Taco Chronicles, chef Fermin Nunez brings the flavors and traditions of his native Mexico to a ravenous American public at two Michelin Guide recommended restaurants. The sister concepts, Suerte which focuses on contemporary Mexican cuisine and house-made masa and Este which brings coastal seafood to the forefront, share chef Fermín’s signature style of modernizing traditional Mexican ingredients. He also flexes his prowess through a European-inspired menu at his newest concept: Bar Toti.
Q: What’s the one dish in East Austin everyone should try at least once?
FN: I have a wild card answer, the esquites from Hay Elotes on 7th, or if it’s a more special occasion, go for the tostilocos.
Q: What’s a hidden gem in East Austin that more people should know about?
FN: Milonga Room and Skylark Lounge, in my opinion, are great old-school Austin representations of what makes Austin, Austin.
Q: What’s an underrated restaurant in East Austin that deserves more attention?
FN: Vic & Al’s
Q: What’s a local restaurant that’s doing something truly unique?
FN: So many, but if I can name the one that started it all by having a strong unique point of view and sticking to it after all these years, it is, without a doubt, Dai Due.
Q: What is the thing you cook most at home?
FN: Lately, sandwiches. But when I’m actually cooking, cooking not just to feed myself, I love recreating classic French dishes.
Q: What is the thing you eat most at your own restaurant?
FN: Our tortilla chips, but as a dish, our Cachetada Taco (the ribeye taco at Este, our seafood restaurant)
Q: Do you make your own items from scratch?
FN: At Suerte and Este, we make our tortillas from scratch with corn grown in Texas, nixtamalized in the restaurant, and ground in-house. They are pressed to order by hand, one at a time, served to you hot, only from the first time they were cooked. It’s definitely not the easiest, but in our opinion, it’s the tastiest and worth it.
Q: Is there a dish from a certain restaurant that evokes strong emotions of nostalgia for you?
FN: Joe’s Bakery. There was a point in my life when I lived in El Paso, and Joe’s Bakery takes me back to that time in life— not only through the food but also the hospitality that is offered there every time you walk through those doors.
Q: What’s one thing about Austin’s food scene that people don’t talk about enough? Or that you wished more people knew?
FN: How cheerful and supportive of each other everyone is!
Q: Where do you find inspiration? What keeps you motivated to continue creating?
FN: Making food is awesome, and I get to make it every day! So every day is a chance to get a little bit better than yesterday, not only for myself but also doing so with my team. Leading them to get better as a team is what keeps me going and inspires me to keep reaching, to keep creating a space where people want to come in to enjoy a meal, have a good time, and, hopefully, leave happier than the moment they walked through our doors.
