MALINCHE RESTAURANT OWNER BRIDGES CULTURES
Tijuana-born chef creates Mexican cuisine out of locally sourced prairie ingredients
In Regina, a Tijuana-born chef and her team create a culture built on sustainability and community by bridging Mexican cuisine with prairie ingredients sourced from local farmers.
Owner and chef Mariana Brito says Malinche is a bridge between two cultures.
“Malinche is a place where delicious, sustainable and healthy dishes are shaped thanks to millennial Mexican recipes and the freshest ingredients from the Canadian prairies. It’s our channel to tell stories about Canadian fields, Mexican culture and the struggle to protect our planet.”
Malinche is famous for tacos, which feature homemade tortillas made from heritage corn grown by Heliotrope Farm north of Regina. The type of corn is unique — it’s both a traditional Mexican variety and one that was traditionally grown by Saskatchewan’s Indigenous people.
The restaurant is named for a brilliant, multilingual figure in Aztec history. Malinche is called a heroine by some and a traitor by others. During the 16th century, Hernan Cortés and his Spanish forces invaded Mexico, which became a Spanish colony after the Aztec Empire crumbled.
Malinche was sold as a slave to Cortés. She was later his partner, interpreter and guide, helping him understand local culture and politics.
“She’s always been associated with duality, with belonging to two worlds,” Brito explains.
Her name resonates with Brito because she grew up on the United States-mexico border.
“Malinche means living in the middle — the duality of two worlds. For me, that also grew into being an immigrant to Canada and marrying a Canadian. I’m a bridge.”
Brito owns Malinche and Backyard Enterprises with her husband Kieran Lemoal, who also runs a community garden. Both are conscious entrepreneurs keen on creating change.
They’ve been intentional in how Malinche expands — in a slow, grassroots way that’s always been intertwined with the community.
Last year, they partnered with Pile O’ Bones Brewing Co. That allowed them to shift their food truck operation to a brick-andmortar location. The brewery’s manager, Kate Byblow, says the owners had always envisioned a shared community space (the brewery started off inside another brewery in downtown Regina).
As the beer got better, they couldn’t keep up with demand and sought a new space that could include a taproom and a chef collaboration.
“We need our own, non-conventional model in Saskatchewan to make a go of it,” Brito says.
“The traditional model is suffering,” Byblow agrees. “This space is all about celebrating Saskatchewan: community and collaboration.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Malinche has held fundraisers and delivered food to the North Central Family Centre and Raising Hope women’s shelter in Regina.
“We like to think we’re paving the way for a new restaurant industry in Regina,” Brito says of her restaurant, where cooks are paid more than minimum wage, never work more than eight hours a day and share meals.
“We’re trying to create a culture that’s like family as we grow and learn together.”
Malinche also has a training program for newcomers. They can join Malinche’s team, learn more English and acquire new skills that will allow them to settle into their new city.
“I always say that cooking is a true healing and rewarding trade. It allows for creativity as well as hard work and grind. Working with your hands brings mindfulness,” Brito says.
She acknowledges the history of abuse in the restaurant industry and adds that she’s excited to be part of a new paradigm — actions and thought patterns that reject antiquated standards still present in some kitchens.
“In general, our industry has gone through a lot and the further back you look, the darker it gets,” she says.
“But I really believe that to save our industry and to get new, young cooks interested in this lifestyle, we urgently have to prove that it’s possible to work in kitchens and also reach a life/ work balance. It’s possible for chefs to have families. It’s possible for chefs to have time off.
“We’re excited to be a part of the prairie landscape and this amazing community’s local food movement that’s only going to get bigger and brighter and stronger every day.”
Hear more of Brito’s story on June 11 during the Flat Out Food: Eat Better web series.
Episode 1: Powered by Plants will air at 7 p.m. CST at: facebook.com/flatoutfoodsk.
Malinche and the Pile O’ Bones Brewing Co. at 1808 Cameron St. in Regina are now open for full service. Visit their Facebook pages for hours and other updates.
Jenn Sharp’s first book, Flat Out Delicious: Your Definitive Guide to Saskatchewan’s Food Artisans, is available now at independent bookstores and at local food retailers and farmgate online stores throughout Saskatchewan, along with Chapters and Amazon. Follow her on Twitter @Jennksharp, Instagram @flatoutfoodsk, and Facebook.