CHEF FERMÍN NÚÑEZ'S Sunday to-do list looks a bit different than most. While most people are folding piles of laundry and fighting off the Sunday scaries, Núñez, chef and coowner of Suerte and Este in Austin, is busy cleaning out his porrón and preparing ingredients for a giant chicken, chorizo, and seafood paella-one large enough to feed 80 people. That's the minimum number of folks who show up to the 2021 F&W Best New Chef's legendary Dominguitos parties.
Dominguitos, Núñez's Spanish pet name for "Sundays," is the chef's way of reclaiming Sunday by making it a day for community and celebration instead of a churn of chores and stress. He threw the first Dominguitos three years ago. "I was trying to figure out who I was as a person and a chef," explains Núñez, "and I wanted to have friendships that were not necessarily only with chefs." Because people who work in the hospitality industry don't usually have the typical weekend structure of both Saturday and Sunday off, finding downtime in common with people who work nonrestaurant jobs can be a challenge-Sunday is often the one day of overlap. At Dominguitos, "you still get a chance to hang out with the people in your life who are not in the hospitality industry," says Núñez.
This story is from the September 2024 edition of Food & Wine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 2024 edition of Food & Wine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Gilda Age - How to perfect the world's best bar snack at home
In the late 1940s, Rita Hayworth turned heads in Hollywood with her sultry, sharp-tongued, titular role in the movie Gilda. Hayworth's character also made a lasting impression further afield in Spain, at Casa Vallés bar in Donostia-San Sebastián, inspiring the creation of a pintxo-a tiny, toothpick-speared snack-that still bears her character's name today. The new pintxo was so popular that it was quickly adopted by other spots throughout the city. It is now Basque country's most iconic bar snack
Tasting Tasmania - Australia's stunning island state is home to stellar cool-climate wines, a vibrant dining scene, and the freshest air on earth.
Australia's stunning island state is home to stellar cool-climate wines, a vibrant dining scene, and the freshest air on earth.asmania smells fresh. Parks and wilderness cover 40% of the island, and much of the rest is farmland. Swept by the Roaring Forties-intense westerly winds that buffet the southern hemisphere- the atmospheric station at Cape Grim in the state's northwest corner regularly records the earth's most pristine air. Down here in Australia's southernmost state, not far from Antarctica, simply taking a breath is delicious. But that's not all that's delicious. Grapes retain mouthwatering acidity in the chilly, maritime climate of Tasmania (or Lutruwita, as it's called in palawa kani, the local Aboriginal language). Having loved Tolpuddle Vineyard's earthy Pinot Noirs, full of cranberry and orange-peel flavors, back in New York, I'd made a pilgrimage to the island for its wine.
Autumn Pairings - Our favorite sommeliers share their go-to dishes and wine pairings for when the weather starts to cool.
Our favorite sommeliers share their go-to dishes and wine pairings for when the weather starts to cool. Translating to "mashed eggplant," baingan bharta is a popular North Indian dish that combines grilled eggplant with ripe tomatoes, vibrant fresh ginger, and warm spices like cumin and cloves. Cut long, deep slits down each eggplant before grilling to help the centers steam and soften as the outside chars. Serve this smoky, spreadable dish warm or at room temperature with roti or naan.
Lowcountry Pickled Shrimp
Snappy pickled shrimp from North Carolina native Ben Barker are perfect for late-summer meals.
Beat the Heat!
What to pair with every type of spicy food
TAKE BACK SUNDAY
Chef Fermín Núñez's answer to the Sunday scaries? Porrón pours and paella for a crowd.
COOKING WITH GRAPES
GRILLED BRAISED, BAKED STEWED OR FROZEN THEY'RE SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST A SNACK.
CITY THAT RICE BUILT
A hunger for rice laid Charleston's foundation. Could a love for the grainand the city that grew from it—be the way to a more unified future?
The California Wine Lover's Guide
55 bottles that will tell you everything about the past, present, and future of California wine
Beef Sukiyaki Pasta
In the hands of cookbook author Hiroko Shimbo, the flavors of beef sukiyaki become an easy weeknight meal.
