NBA All-Star Weekend wasn’t the only thing happening in Indy in February. Guy Fieri, host of “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” and his crew slipped into town to initiate a few Indy restaurants into the Triple D Life. The first episode, featuring Argentinian street food restaurant Che Chori, aired Aug. 2 on the Food Network.
Next up: Tlaolli will be featured at 9 p.m. Aug. 30. Named after the Aztec word for “corn,” Carlos Hutchinson’s restaurant is on the east side. The eatery started as a carry-out tamale shop, under the umbrella of ECDC (Englewood Community Development Corporation) a little over a decade ago.
Since then, the restaurant’s come a long way. It now has a dining room, a garden for outdoor meals, vegan and vegetarian offerings – and the decadent chocolate cake that has everyone abuzz.
We talked to Hutchinson to find out what it was like when Fieri — and the cameras — rolled into his restaurant. (Full disclosure: Hutchinson is the father of Mirror Indy’s arts & culture editor Jennifer Delgadillo.)
What was your reaction when you were contacted by the show?
At first, I thought it was some sort of scam to get money. But as we exchanged emails I started to see that it was true, although it was so hard to believe. We are a very small restaurant and I could not understand how such a big show would pay attention to a small restaurant like ours. Then, I thought for sure things would fall through, but they didn’t.
What was your first impression of Guy Fieri?
Before he arrived, I was so nervous. I was terrified because I’m not a classically trained chef. I try to follow my own ideology and I cook for my community, so I didn’t know what to expect from a person who is recognized on an international level, and who is a chef.
But as I got to know him, I saw that he is so active and efficient in how things are done in the kitchen. He has immense patience to explain and give advice. And I could tell that his intentions to help small businesses are genuine. He really does want to highlight food that is made with love.
What was your favorite behind-the-scenes moment?
Some of the comments he made were a big deal to me. He said he’s eaten birria all over the country and said he considered my vegan birria better than many of them. He said if the vegan birria was all we sold, that would be enough. (Laughs.)
The other thing was when he put his arm around me and told our guests in the dining room, “A new chef is born.” I didn’t see myself that way, so it made me feel really good.
What dishes did you make for the show?
The producers looked at our menu and our social media to see which dishes were most interesting. They chose the vegan birria, which became very popular when we started making it, and our turkey tamal with cranberry salsa.
If you had one do-over, what would you do differently while the cameras were on?
I was really worked up, so I don’t know. I wouldn’t change anything.
What’s one cool thing about Tlaolli that people might not catch while watching the show?
Tlaolli’s food comes from the kitchen I grew up in, in Monterrey, Mexico. The influence is from my mother’s home recipes. I use herbs and spices that are traditionally Mexican and aim to make healthful foods.
I don’t cook with the traditional oil and lard — which, don’t get me wrong, is delicious — but growing up, I ate differently. Now, living here, I have learned about vegetarian and vegan dishes and so I substitute many of the meat in the recipes with herbs and spices. I owe much of the evolution of our menu to our local vegan community because I learned from how they innovate to eat well.
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