“All dishes tell a story,” says chef Eddie Hernandez of Nashville’s Taquería del Sol.
We sit on the patio on a bright April afternoon, with the bustle of Charlotte Avenue humming in the background. In front of me sits the chef, who embodies the very elements he brings to his cuisine: old South meets Mexican.
Hernandez makes a food request as we settle into our conversation. He smiles as a broad tray quickly returns, laden with heavy platters: brisket enchiladas, Memphis and Carnitas tacos, guacamole, tortilla chips, and three kinds of salsa—including asada and salsa verde. This southern blend—in both cuisine, and Hernandez’s direct, thoughtful manner—is seamless.
“You see this dish?” I lift my eyes away from the food and to Hernandez’s calm brown eyes. He holds a spoon over a small mason jar—a creation named "the George."
“This is named after a customer we had in the 2000s, a man named George.” I look closer at the jar next to me: layers of collard greens, beans, and rice. The fork goes down, and I take my first bite of Hernandez’s food with the spoon: rich, spicy collards; starchy beans, and smooth bites of brown rice. I’m hooked.
“George was a regular in our Atlanta restaurant, and he wanted a ‘Meat ‘n Three’ in one dish. We decided to blend it into a jar, and would serve it to him when he came to the restaurant. Since, we just called it ‘the George.’” I take another furtive bite.
“It’s delicious."
“It’s not on the menu,” Hernandez says. He winks. “VIP only.”
With his calm, direct manner, Hernandez does not put on the airs of a chef rising quickly to national fame. Earlier this month, the chef partnered with author Susan Puckett to publish his Southern-Mexican combos in a book: Turnip Greens & Tortillas: A Mexican Chef Spices Up the Southern Kitchen. “It’s been insane,” Hernandez says to describe his hectic schedule to keep up with publicity. His cookbook follows featured recipes in a variety of magazines, including Southern Living, Bon Appétit, and Food & Wine. Taquería del Sol was recently nominated for the 2017 James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur Award.
But this eminence came from humble beginnings, and one failed dream. Before embarking on the culinary track, Eddie had another vision for his life—music. Despite the risks of a music career, Eddie wasn’t afraid of failure: “If I fail, I want to fail dramatically.” His career as a drummer lasted for several years, but never took off. It seemed his life would follow a different track. To this, Hernandez wryly adds, “The dream was bigger than the talent.”
That all changed when he stepped into an Atlanta kitchen. Hernandez’s skill with food came from hours spent in in his grandmother’s kitchen in Monterrey, Mexico. His grandmother influenced his southern and Mexican blend; she used many ingredients Hernandez came to recognize in the South, including pickling, pork skins, and corn. “My grandmother taught me how to cook,” he says matter-of-factly. “I liked to eat a lot. She said to me, 'If you want to eat something, you need to know how to make it. If you know how to cook, you can always eat what you want. If not, you have to eat what other people give you.'“
Eddie smiles, his dry humor and grit infusing his words. “No thanks—I’ll make my own eggs!”
The meeting of Mike Klank sparked a business partnership, and Taquería del Sol was born. In addition to its nexus between southern and Mexican food, Hernandez has a strong belief: Taquería’s food belongs to everyone, and should bring simplicity and joy to customers. Hernandez sources most of his ingredients for Atlanta’s restaurant from local farmers in Georgia, and he believes in the moral obligation to support local farming. Quality ingredients—and a relationship with the farmers—should arise from a commitment to the community. He’s quick to add that all his recipes can be made with food from supermarkets. The real priority, he says, is about building relationships between restaurants and farms. To this end, Hernandez has an idea for Nashville: farmers and restaurateurs should have a symposium for dialogue and informational exchange, in order to bring openness and exchange to both parties. Hernandez emphasizes that all food should be delicious and accessible.
For eighteen years, Hernandez has brought his food to the people through Taquería del Sol. The journey has kept him on his toes: “18 years in the business, and it hasn’t been boring a single day.” Now, everyone can access his tasty combos through his book—and that keeps him even busier. He alludes that the cookbook’s popularity may have led him to bite off more than he can chew.
But when it comes to Hernandez, every mouthful is undoubtedly delicious.
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