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Features
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Driving Cross-Country For a Tiwa Taco |
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Chef Burt Wilson at the |
These days, however, the single chef said he eats a lot of fast food burgers when he's away from the restaurant kitchen. At home, he likes to grill. "I like to cook simple and grill steaks or chicken outside. I'm a real big meat eater." After a stint in the Navy, Wilson said he didn't see cooking on his horizon. "I never thought I'd wind up cooking. But it's an experience, it's hard at times and a lot of work, but the rewards are gratifying." Alongside Wilson in the kitchen is Acoma Pueblo’s Norman Torivio. What's the most popular dish? "Just about everything. My sisters and cousins say they like the squash, my mom likes the red chile." The squash he mentioned is perfectly steamed and seasoned zucchini squash, another Pueblo favorite. |
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However, it's the Tiwa taco that gets Torivio's final vote as the most popular dish here. In the restaurant decorated with Native designs, visitors savor breakfast burritos and posole with green chile for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They come from as far away as New York and California, and from as close by as Taos and Santa Fe. "We get lots of people from Russia, Germany, England, France and Japan. The Japanese say it's really a big change." Although tourism was on the decline over the past three years, Wilson said travelers are once again taking to the open road. "We’re busier now than I thought we would be." With banquet space available at the cultural center and the new Bureau of Indian Affairs office building being completed in view, Wilson points out that his staff is ready to serve crowds. After two and one-half years of creating magic in the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center’s kitchen, Wilson said the reward comes in the form of the praise he receives from guests. "Just hearing, 'Your food is great and your hard work is appreciated,'" he said makes it worth it. "I never thought of being in this field, but I don’t think I would like to be anything else." The Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, open seven days a week at 2401 12th St. NW, offers a museum, gift shop, smoke shop, weekend traditional dances and the Institute for Pueblo Indian Studies. The cultural center is owned and operated by the 19 New Mexico pueblos. For more information, call (505) 843-7270 or (800) 766-4405. For more health news from Indian Country Today, visit
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