New York chef Scott Coshnudi celebrates Cinco de Mayo by digging deep into Aztec culinary traditions.
And he recreates Mesoamerican indigenous cuisine with the magic he learned at the forefront of modern molecular gastronomy.
Koshnudi is the chef-owner of Parklife, a modern, multicultural-influenced taqueria in Brooklyn.
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According to him, the two worlds of the Aztec Empire, centered around present-day Mexico City 600 years ago, and modern-day New York City are not as far apart in time and space as they seem.
“Our ancestors were smarter and more in tune with the world around them than people acknowledge today,” Khoshnoudi told Fox News Digital in a phone interview.
Vegetarian tacos at Parklife, a modern, multicultural taqueria in Brooklyn, New York. (Cars Media)
In the early 2000s, Khoshnoudi was the star chef at WD-50 restaurant on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
WD-50 was one of the most difficult tables in town to score a reservation and helped popularize molecular gastronomy.
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This is a sophisticated cooking style that “uses chemistry to create unexpected dishes that push the boundaries of traditional cooking,” writes MasterClass.com.
Molecular gastronomy has become a sensation as the most progressive restaurant trend in the United States.
According to the chef, the culinary “alchemy” that astounded the food world at the time was actually nothing new.
He proves it with his menu at Parklife today.
Gallina’s print (left) depicting the Aztecs making bread. Parklife, a taqueria in Brooklyn, New York, uses traditional Aztec techniques to make masa dough and transforms it into sophisticated, modern Tex-Mex cuisine. That includes this version of Frito Pie. (Historical Image Archive/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images; Carnsmedia)
The restaurant’s homemade masa uses traditional chemical conversion methods that date back to Mesoamerican culture.
The last Aztecs ruled an empire for centuries until the arrival of Spanish explorers in the 1500s.
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According to the chef, they soaked dried corn in limestone, cooked it and ground it to make dough for tamales, tortillas and other corn-based breads.
The Aztecs probably did not know the molecular science behind this process. But they knew the consequences.
“The added alkalinity has many benefits,” said Khoshnoudi.
Scott Khoshnoudi is the chef-owner of Parklife, a modern taqueria using traditional Aztec techniques in Brooklyn, New York. (Cars Media)
“This makes the corn easier to husk and contains more niacin. It makes the dough softer and tastier.”
The Parklife team soaks the corn kernels in Mexican Cal, a type of slaked lime, for 24 hours, then crushes the corn with lava stones.
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Masa is used to make taco shells, nacho chips and Park Life’s signature blue corn tortillas.
Koshnoudi’s cuisine is influenced not only by Mexico, but also by his cultural homeland of Iran and the U.S. state of Texas, where he grew up.
Smoky potato salad at Parkllife, a modern taqueria in Brooklyn, New York. (Cars Media)
Parklife’s chef-driven casual Tex-Mex classic Frito Pie is made with beef and potato chili, adobo, escabeche, and queso chips.
Carnitas tacos are made with pecan-smoked pork shank. Add water by turning the bones into a broth.
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Khoshnoudi channels his Persian roots and experience in molecular gastronomy with Parklife’s Lamb Biryani Tacos.
The star ingredient is dramatic sumac glass.
It’s made from sumac tea, transformed by the magic of molecular gastronomy into a smooth solid crisp that looks like glass.
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