Nixta Ancestral Foods

Our name “Nixta” brings attention to the base of our cuisine; Nixtamalization, Masa and Corn. We source high quality heirloom corn; from local pueblos and reservations, traditional Native and Hispanic farmers, local organic farmers, and single origin heirloom Mexican corn. We process it the traditional way, through nixtamalization, then we grind it fresh to make all of our tortillas and masa based foods.

Cooking ancestral foods is a way of nourishing the health of our bodies, our ecosystem, culture and our connection to our ancestors. It honors the deep roots our cuisine has to this land and to the place based foodways that still thrive here. Our cooking emphasizes, traditional local flavors and cooking techniques made with indigenous ingredients, heirloom and specialty regional ingredients, wild foraging, local sourcing, and organic ingredients. This approach is both innovative and traditional.

Our Story

Chef Andrew and his partner and Sous Chef Amber Rose started Nixta in the summer of 2023.

Nixta was born from an exploration into reconnecting with ancestral foods and a decolonial approach to diet, health and spirituality. Andrew, Amber and friends were growing corn and other local seeds, and learning how to hunt and forage in Northern NM. Then in 2023 he received a small arts grant to teach free cooking workshops on Nixtamalization and bio-regional foods. Following the workshop series, they continued their work, offering more classes, providing catering and private chef services, and selling tacos, tamales, tortillas and masa-based street foods at pop-up markets and other local events.

Andrew is a Chicano with roots in Northern New Mexico and Mexico, he grew up in Chicago area, and moved to NM in 2020. His professional cooking experience began as a teenager working at his dads restaurant, followed by holistic retreat center kitchens, cooking for yoga and meditation retreats, working in numerous vegetarian, organic and farm to table focused restaurants and catering companies. Notably including, culinary anthropologist and chef Lois Ellan Frank and Walter Whitewater at Red Mesa Cuisine, who specialized in Southwestern Native Cuisine.