'My Mexican heritage on a plate:' 5 Phoenix chefs talk about the dish that tells their story

Every year from Sept. 15-Oct. 15, the history and culture of the Latinx community are honored during Hispanic Heritage Month, which spans a period that includes Independence Day celebrations for Belize, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua.

In Arizona, we are fortunate to have rich Latinx representation in all aspects of daily living, especially when it comes to cuisine. Food is a sure way to not only bring people together, but also to share one’s culture with others. And no one knows more about this power than chefs.

From traditional mole and flan to personal spins on foie gras and dry-aged duck, we asked five metro Phoenix Latinx chefs about a dish that best reflects their Hispanic heritage, not only this month but all year long.

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Chef David Brito of Geordie’s at Wrigley Mansion

"A dish that best reflects my personal Hispanic heritage would be our 14-day dry aged duck. It's a perfect story that melds my culinary upbringing here in Arizona and my Mexican heritage on a plate," chef David Brito of Geordie's at Wrigley Mansion explained.

He sources Rohan Ducks from New York and dry ages them in-house before pairing the meat with a dish a little closer to home.

"We pair the duck with a huitlacoche tamale. Huitlacoche is essentially corn smut that grows on ears of corn around the kernels, in puffy gray clouds that look like river stones. An extremely versatile by-product of corn that is indigenous to Mexicans, but unfamiliar to most, we make a puree out of it to fold into our masa that is enriched with foie gras fat and 60-day Pima cornmeal from Ramona Farms in Sacaton," he said. "We serve the tamale open faced to showcase the color of the huitlacoche and the duck leg confit. For acidity, we fermented local mulberries from Pinnacle Farms for 7-Days in a 2% salt brine. The sauce that brings the entire dish together is a sauce utilizing all the roasted dry aged bones and caramelized honey."

For Brito, interpreting his heritage in a traditional fine dining setting is the best way to honor the legacy of both.

"To me this dish speaks my story of being a Mexican chef and the vision of Geordie's as we showcase timeless and indigenous ingredients in a unique and elevated fine dining experience."

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Chef Ivan Jacobo of Anhelo

"The foie gras torchon is on the current menu and has a little bit of Mexican influence. It's a classic French preparation, but it's accompanied by Mexican papaya that's cooked in piloncillo (Mexican brown sugar) and topped off with pomegranate seeds and crushed pistachios," explained chef Ivan Jacobo of Anhelo restaurant downtown.

The dish was the result of a last-minute change-of-plans, when Jacobo drew on his knowledge of tropical ingredients on the fly.

"Believe it or not, (using the Mexican papaya) actually wasn't planned out. The mangos we originally ordered weren't up to our standards so we decided to go with fresh papaya. The tropical flavor from the papaya pairs great with the piloncillo."

Chef Yulissa Acosta of Hearth ’61 at Mountain Shadows

"If I were to pick a dish that best represents me and my heritage, it would be carne en su jugo," chef Yulissa Acosta of Hearth '61 said. "It’s a Mexican stew with meat, pinto beans and pork tomatillo. There are different textures and bright flavors, making it very comforting. My family is from a small town in Sinaloa, and my mother always made different variations depending on what we had on hand. It’s a very simple yet intricate dish because there are many steps to get it where it should be. I love this dish because it signifies that cooking is truly a labor of love."

Richard Hinojosa of CRUJiente Tacos

"I was introduced to mole when I was 7- or 8-years-old. There was a celebration and my godmother prepared this mole con pollo. It was my first time having this, and it was like nothing I had ever tasted… So rich, so much flavor and depth," chef-owner of CRUJiente Tacos, Richard Hinojosa explained.

And those flavors stuck with him.

"I had this several times over the years from my godmother and from my grandmother. Later in life I took their recipes and developed my own. Mole is a celebratory food, as it takes so long, and so much care and love to prepare it properly. It will always hold a very special place in my heart."

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Maria Arenas of ZuZu at Hotel Valley Ho

"Flan con dulce de leche y crema is one of the many classic Argentinian desserts. Every grandma or grandpa knows how to make flan, and all have their own way of doing it," chef Maria Arenas of Zuzu explained.

"The main ingredient is eggs. My grandma used 20 eggs for an 8-inch flan. Yes, that's a lot. But in Argentina, it’s kind of a competition between the abuelas and abuelos on how many eggs you put in your flan. Every Sunday, we would go to my abuela's house and have great food, especially the desserts. She would always share her recipes with me."

And the beloved desert set Arenas on her current path.

"The first time I made flan was with my abuela Nora. Typically, you eat this dessert with dulce de leche, whipped cream, or both, like my mom," she said. "I didn't go to culinary school right after graduating high school…. But after a couple years, I realized my passion was in pastry. I have my abuela Nora to thank for that, and the first time she taught me how to make flan."

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: How these top Phoenix chefs celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month all year