Fresh tamales stuffed with birria, spicy birria with sauce, cochinita pibil, grilled chicken, and beans with cheese are only a click away with the Latino Culinary Institute and Association.
The nonprofit, founded in 2020 to help Hispanic businesses and culinary workers in North Texas by Chef Lydia Gonzalez, has started to sell artisanal tamales through its new brand, Chispas. Proceeds from Chispas, which also has a vegan option of beans with rajas and corn tamal and another tamal with halal chicken, will go toward training women in food handling for free.
The Chispas project benefits the Culinary Workforce Training program, which the Institute will conduct in collaboration with the Dallas College Culinary and Hospitality Institute.
“Many women have been working in a restaurant for 10 or more years, and they don’t know that’s a career. Working at a restaurant is a career, but they don’t see it that way,” said Gonzalez, executive director of the Latino Culinary Institute. “So we’re trying to get them to get certifications so they can advance in their careers.”
Chispas tamales are handcrafted professionally, ensuring ingredients, size, and flavor consistency.
“Artisanal birria tamales are made with over 18 ingredients including cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. The beef is marinated for 24 hours and then cooked low and slow for amazing flavors that transport your tastebuds to ancient times,” Gonzalez explained.
The tamales are prepared with nixtamalized masa, not corn flour, and Gonzalez and her team cook the fillings.
Tamale purchases can be made on the LCI website, with a half dozen priced at $15 and a dozen at $27. They can be delivered to homes or businesses for free with purchases of $50 or more. Otherwise, delivery is $5.
There’s also an option to have them delivered as a corporate gift bag.
“I think most would prefer a tamale to a cookie,” Gonzalez said.
The Latino Culinary Institute is also working to add the tamales to ordering platforms such as Uber Eats or Doordash.
“Tamales have stood the test of time, as they were made over 8,000 B.C. in Mesoamerica, and we have kept cooking them until now; it’s marvelous,” said Gonzalez.
Steve DeShazo, senior director of Workforce Initiatives at Dallas College, noted the institution supports the Latino Culinary Center’s effort because professionally training people who work in the North Texas hospitality industry improves the well-being of not only more people but also the entire community and the hospitality industry.
“We want to give confidence, context and connectivity to students, so we can professionalize and uplift them so they have a greater horizon in their careers within the industry,” DeShazo said.
The Dallas College Culinary and Hospitality Institute serves more than 600 students in all of its programs.
