From the corporate marketing world to making Mexican food, Marco Muñiz Mugica and Fletcher Selaries were woken to the realisation that what they were doing was not what they wanted.
After reflection during the pandemic, the two came together and sought to follow their dreams of bringing authentic Mexican food to New Zealand.
Both directors and chefs grew up outside of New Zealand, Mugica in Mexico and Selaries in France, both surrounded by rich culinary traditions.
After settling in New Zealand in 2015, the duo quickly came to the conclusion that the Southern part of the world lacked true Mexican cuisine, and alternatives were not quite hitting the spot.
The last push was the introduction of Covid in 2020, which further prompted Mugica and Selaries to seize the opportunity and jump into this venture.
“We knew that we could show what real Mexican food tastes like, and we just had to give New Zealanders an option to try some. Hence, our restaurant was born.”
La Mexicana firmly believes using fresh and locally sourced ingredients is key. Furthermore, adopting traditional cooking techniques is the only viable option to bring customers to the streets of Mexico with their food.
A concoction of slow-cooked filings, double corn tortillas, and homemade marinades, La Mexicana wants to share a little piece of Mexico with every bite.
Perhaps one of the key differentiating factors is La Mexicana’s corn tortillas, which are made from scratch through a process called ‘Nixtamalisation’.
Both Mugica and Selaries have big dreams, with the hopes for their homemade tortillas to become a New Zealand staple, similar to naan or pita bread.
They also understand the issues that come with introducing new food can be a challenge and may take a while before it becomes ordinary practice.
“We also want to share with New Zealanders all the incredible health benefits of corn tortillas, as they have been a staple in Mexico for thousands of years, and for good reason.”
Corn tortillas are gluten-free, low in fat, and higher in fiber, and nutrients making them versatile and accommodating for dietary requirements.
Aside from making authentic Mexican food, La Mexicana also sells tortillas to other businesses nationwide steering them in the right direction of becoming a household classic.
