For Austin chef Fermín Núñez, masa is foundational to his menus. Born in Mexico, Núñez has opened three of Austin’s most celebrated Mexican restaurants—Este, Suerte, and Bar Toti—all of which use masa to provide fresh, handmade corn tortillas, tamales, sopes, and other dishes. He found an ally in the brand Masienda, founded by Jorge Gaviria, who wrote the cookbook Masa: Techniques, Recipes, and Reflections on a Timeless Staple (Chronicle Books, 2022). Núñez was a natural fit when Gaviria went looking for a chef to help him put together his next cookbook, Vitamina T: Your Daily Dose of Tacos, Tortas, Tamales, and More Mexican Street Food Classics (Clarkson Potter), which came out April 2026.
