A culinary pop-up known for its “bold Mexican cuisine” has found a mid-week home in New West.
Tultepec, a culinary pop-up created by Christian Chaumont, is set to make a permanent mid-week home at Steel & Oak on Wednesdays and Thursdays. It’s from 5 p.m. until the day’s menu items are sold out.
Chaumont, who moved to New Westminster in 2020, is excited to share his culinary creations with his local community – and Steel & Oak is pleased couldn’t be happier.
“I actually see Christian at school drop-off as our kids attend the same elementary school. And that’s about as New West as you can get,” said Jorden Foss, owner of S&O. “I’m just selfishly excited that I now have some great food to pair with our beer and an excuse to leave the house after the kids are in bed!”
Hailing from Monterrey, Mexico, Chaumont has dedicated himself to exploring the diverse regions of his native country, enriching his knowledge and passion for Mexican culture through his extensive travels. His culinary journey led him to Vancouver, where he pursued formal culinary education and honed his skills in various kitchens throughout Vancouver and Montreal.
Chaumont served as the head chef at the highly successful Latin-fusion restaurant, Cuchillo. Today, he co-owns and operates Tultepec, which is hosted at The Painted Ship in Kitsilano.
“Tultepec draws its inspiration from the eponymous Mexico City borough known for its pyrotechnics,” said a S&O press release. “The motto here is ‘explosive flavour, sparks over the rooftop of the mouth.’ The culinary philosophy of Tultepec is deeply rooted in representing regional Mexican cuisine, perfectly complementing the beauty and abundance of its surroundings.”
Each Wednesday and Thursday, Tultepec will be serving small plates, which will rotate weekly, at the local brewery.
Here’s a sample of some of the dishes you’ll find on the menu: smoked binchotan cauliflower with Coconut and roasted poblano cashew Cream, accompanied by chipotle and walnut salsa negra; and CDMX Prawn Aguachile and South Pacific tuna tostada featuring morita chili and shiro miso aioli, topped with sesame golden garlic chili oil.
Another small plate features char-grilled mojo Maui ribs served with charred sesame pineapple salsa macha and a tantalizing “rattlesnake” hot honey drizzle.
Tultepec made its debut at Steel & Oak in September, when it held a dinner pop-up at the local brewery – serving up what it called “small plates of big flavours.”
"My passion is to celebrate Mexico under the lens of the dynamic cultural environment I am privileged to live amongst," Chaumont said at that time. "I find many parallels with the layers of depth of flavours across cultures. Asian flavours are symbiotic with my childhood memories."
