
ELIZABETH WISEMAN
Corn is an inextricable part of Mexico’s culture and cuisine.
Exalted by the Mayans and Aztecs, at the heart of creation stories, corn was — and still is — considered sacred, key to survival, growth, and prosperity. Chef Julio Hernandez was mindful of this in naming his business, which started as a pop-up during the pandemic, followed by a tortilla shop, a food truck, and now a restaurant launched in Paseo South.
Maiz de la Vida means Corn of Life, and is the foundation of his authentic, delectable fare, starting with his tortillas made with heirloom Mexican maize. Commanding a state-of-the- art kitchen inside his brick-and- mortar, Hernandez serves diners an array of dishes that exceed his food truck offerings.
A native of Tlaxcala, Mexico, the chef kindled his passion for the culinary life in the kitchens of fine New York City restaurants, where he mastered classic French cooking techniques. Years later, in Nashville, he began to delve into the cuisine of his heritage. It became apparent to him that the tortillas here didn’t have the same good taste that he recalled from his youth. The difference, he recognized, was in the corn itself. He started by sourcing heirloom kernels from parts of Mexico and using the time-honored method of transforming them into masa — the dough. Called nixtamalization, the maize is soaked in an alkali/lime/ ash solution, then washed, hulled, and ground, yielding a fine grain that makes the most flavorful tortillas.
As corn is life, so is art. Hernandez guided the construction of his restaurant to mirror that. Outside walls leading to Maiz de la Vida are painted in brilliant murals; inside is beautiful ceramica, from tile work and elegant painted ollas to the stacks of Oaxacan-made dinner plates lining the chef ’s counter. Backdropping the bar is a wall in sunburst design composed of heirloom dried corn, each ray a different kernel and a different color. Shelves holding bottles of tequilas and mezcals echo a Mayan pyramid shape.
Seating is arranged in booths, at community tables, and a bar. The chef ’s counter is especially engaging, where you can watch the dance of Hernandez and his team stirring molés, sautéing skillets of new potatoes in garlic, pan searing and oven roasting salmon fillets, pressing rounds of freshly made masa into thin tortillas, and cooking them on the dedicated flat top.
Tequila? You can count on a superb Margarita served in a custom Maiz de la Vida glass or a tall Paloma, tangy with grapefruit, could fill the bill. Desiring another liquor? We recommend the Salmoncita, a chill stir of Mexican gin, rosé cava, lemon, and thyme — a variant of a French 75. There are also select wines by the glass and craft beers. Yes, they make luscious Micheladas, too.
The dinner menu is separated into these categories: Antojitos (Snacks/ Appetizers), Fonda Fina (Fine Dining/Mains), Sides, and Desserts. The roster of snacks is compelling. You’ll find familiar dishes, elevated. House salsas and guacamole are served with his singular Nixtamal chips; heirloom beans, caramelized onions, and salsa verde bring dimension to the Queso Fundido. Not to be missed is the trio of flautas, each crispy taquito is filled with a mixture of salmon, potato, requeson (ricotta-like cheese), dressed in lime aioli and green peppercorn salad.
Hernandez became renowned for his Quesabirria, crispy tacos filled with American wagyu beef braised to succulence, served with a cup of rich consommé for dipping. He offers it here as well but invites you to try some of the other dishes. El Jefe features shrimp and peppers encased in a frico of melted quesillo cheese, placed on a blue corn tortilla. The simply named Steak Taco combines tallow aged sirloin napped in salsa verde, with a scatter of tiny chimichurri fries providing toothsome crunch.
From the Fonda Fine section, the Molé Negro with seared duck breast is a dish to savor. Molés are marvelous complex sauces that boast dozens of ingredients; (Hernandez counts 32 in his!) the Negro includes toasted chiles, nuts, seeds, spices, herbs, fruits, alliums, and bitter chocolate. Nestled in a pool of dark brown-black sauce are medallions of duck, sweet potato batons, plantain purée, housemade sesame wafers, and rings of white onion. Warm tortillas arrive on the side, tucked in a cloth napkin. We also appreciate Hernandez’s interpretation of Milanesa, the fried chicken cutlet in a crunchy, well-seasoned breading, served with roasted salsa and lime, and sidled by his garlicky new potatoes. Be sure to spritz the cutlet with lime and dip each piece into the salsa for maximum enjoyment.
Direct your attention to two other delicious corn-based dishes: Elotes, kernels cut from the cob are sparked with lime aioli, salsa seca, and a shower of finely grated Manchego and cotija cheeses. Nixtamal grits are unlike any you’ve ever had. Coarsely ground heirloom corn is prepared with Manchego, Three Sisters vegetables (corn, beans, squash), and salsa. Use the accompanying tostada to scoop it from the bowl.
Desserts exhibit similar creativity. The Tres Leches cake takes on coffee notes, the drenched sweet cake balanced by Marcona almonds at the bottom and shards of meringue on top. Chocolate sourced from Chiapas distinguishes the Mexi-Pie, the deeply flavored custard complemented by its cardamom-spiked shortbread crust.
The ambiance is upbeat and joyful, with the playlist contributing to the feeling. On one evening, the music veered from late 70s Rolling Stones, to Pink Floyd, to Mariachi band covers. As a brick-and-mortar, Maiz de la Vida is not only the hoped-for progression for Hernandez, a 2023 James Beard semi-finalist for Emerging Chef. But it also provides a welcome platform for his fullest growth and expression: his distinctive style of cooking that merges his native and adopted homes, which he lovingly calls “Tenn-Mex.”