{"id":117277,"date":"2026-02-18T17:42:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T17:42:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/117277\/"},"modified":"2026-02-18T17:42:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T17:42:10","slug":"ama-is-hosting-phillys-best-chefs-for-a-high-end-taco-tuesday-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/117277\/","title":{"rendered":"Am\u00e1 is hosting Philly\u2019s best chefs for a high-end Taco Tuesday series"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a1Ay, Dios m\u00edo\u2026 no puede ser!\u00a0<\/p>\n

Am\u00e1\u2019s James Beard Best Emerging Chef semifinalist Frankie Ramirez<\/a> is bringing the culinary drama in collaboration with a strong lineup of Philly chefs for a new \u201cTaco Novela\u201d series, with 10% of the proceeds going to a charity of each chef\u2019s choice.<\/p>\n

Ever wonder what a taco from Her Place\u2019s Amanda Shulman would look like? Or perhaps, a Filipino-inspired taco from Tabachoy\u2019s Chance Anies? Well, we\u2019re about to find out.<\/p>\n

Every month, Ramirez is hosting a different guest chef for his Tuesday dinner-service to collaborate on a unique taco at Am\u00e1<\/a> \u2014 the upscale Mexican bar and restaurant that opened on the Fishtown\u2011Kensington border last May.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"A full table at Am\u00e1 (Photo by Mike Prince)<\/p>\n

\u201cI see food as memories, experiences, sometimes even wishes or connections,\u201d Ramirez said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The chef got the idea by combining \u201cTaco Tuesday\u201d with one of his other favorite Tuesday night activities \u2014 sitting down on the couch, unwinding and turning on a telenovela.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn a Tuesday night, I like to watch a telenovela, watch a drama or action, or emotions,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And like a novela, the chef believes that every taco can tell a story. For example, Am\u00e1\u2019s swordfish taco \u2014 the only taco on the regular menu \u2014 is a history lesson from the early 1800s when Middle Eastern immigrants made their way to Puebla, Mexico.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey brought their shawarma with them,\u201d Ramirez said. \u201cSo they were doing the spit and the pita bread, and somehow Mexicans adopted the culture and started building, instead of lamb, we did pork with spices. We literally gave birth to the Al Pastor taco.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy parents are from Puebla,\u201d he added. \u201cSo I had a lot of those tacos \u00e1rabes when I was a kid. Having one taco on my menu that represents my parents and tells my story, I think it\u2019s very important.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, Ramirez is curious about the tales that other chefs can create with a tortilla. Each guest chef who comes to Am\u00e1 will get to express their own story and collaborate on a recipe. Ramirez was initially nervous to reach out and share the idea.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI gotta be honest to you, I was a little afraid of texting people and them being like \u2018Ah\u2026 yeah\u2026 no, I\u2019m too busy to do this,\u2019\u201d he said. However, once word got out, chefs were eager to join in.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ramirez has assembled a sort of avengers of Philly chefs. The series already boasts a deep bench of talent:<\/p>\n

Joey Baldino, chef and owner of Palizzi Social Club, Bomb Bomb Bar and Zeppoli, said that he\u2019s not surprised so many people have jumped on the chance to collaborate at Am\u00e1.<\/p>\n

\"\"Am\u00e1\u2019s shrimp ceviche tostada with pico de gallo, burnt \u00e1rbol and ancho chamoy (Photo by Mike Prince)<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, it\u2019s all about Frankie,\u201d Baldino said. \u201cFrank is one of the most talented chefs that I know and one of the most kind individuals that I know \u2014 very sweet guy. He\u2019s always been there for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baldino recently signed onto the series, and is still thinking about what his Taco Novela could be. However, he\u2019s got ideas.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think what we\u2019re planning on doing is actually a tamale, an Italian tamale,\u201d he said. \u201cI was thinking about maybe doing polenta and stuffing it with some roast shredded pork.\u201d<\/p>\n

The other option? A \u201ctripe taco,\u201d inspired by a dish already on Palizzi Social Club\u2019s menu.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be a little bit of a mix between Italian and Mexican food,\u201d Baldino said. \u201cA lot of ingredients, ironically, in Italian food and Mexican food are very similar \u2014 a lot of tomato, a lot of garlic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chef Ramirez is from Mexico City, but moved to Philadelphia when he was 16 years old. Since then, he\u2019s built his resume working in kitchens around the city, including at various STARR restaurants. Am\u00e1 is his debut as an owner.<\/p>\n

El Chingon\u2019s Juan Carlos Aparicio is the first to work with Ramirez for the Taco Novela series. The two have known each other for nearly two decades \u2014 beginning in 2008 at Parc when it was brand new.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s one of my best friends,\u201d Aparicio said. \u201cWe always collaborate with ideas and recipes. And if I need to know something, if I don\u2019t know right on top of my head, I always call him, and he always calls me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aparicio helped Ramirez flesh out the concept behind the Taco Novela series.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of stories behind a taco,\u201d he said. \u201cIn Mexico, we always said that eating tacos on the street is not just going out and filling up the belly. It\u2019s because you go out and you talk to the people. You always meet friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

Together, the chefs have decided on a \u201cTaco de Lobster Zarandeada<\/a>.\u201d It includes Maine lobster with squink ink sofrito and charred cabbage on a black squid ink tortilla.<\/p>\n

According to Aparicio, seafood is not just for New England.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the coast of Sinaloa, there\u2019s a lot of seafood,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of fish. And Sinaloa is known because of the aguachiles and all the fresh seafood that they get.\u201d<\/p>\n

The chefs chose lobster because they wanted the taco to feel, well\u2026 fancy.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrankie and I, we always joke around that we like to eat like rich people,\u201d Aparicio said. \u201cSo we made a rich people taco with lobster.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Chef Frankie Ramirez and Chef Juan Carlos Aparicio. (Photo by Mike Prince)<\/p>\n

The dish is topped with a chiltep\u00edn mayo.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe call it Zarandeada Salsa,\u201d Aparicio. \u201cIt\u2019s actually very close to how they make the mayonnaise for the lobster roll. But we use mustard, and we use some garlic, and we use some chiltep\u00edn peppers. It\u2019s a little bit spicy, but it\u2019s very fruity.\u201d<\/p>\n

The series kicked off Tuesday, and you can grab Aparicio\u2019s creation again on Feb. 24. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Esperanza Immigration Legal Services<\/a>, an organization that Aparicio has collaborated with in the past.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ramirez is proud that the first \u201cTaco Novela\u201d dish will support a cause that is both meaningful and personal to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe truth is that we are the backbone of the industry,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve been in this city for about 20 plus years, and I\u2019ve been lucky enough to surround myself with great people. People that care for their families. They have two, three jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n

He does not want to see friends who have lived in Philadelphia for decades have to leave without due process.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t have to be this way,\u201d Ramirez said. \u201cBut I feel like we\u2019re fighting for a seat at a table that we helped to build.\u201d<\/p>\n

Overall, he\u2019s hoping that diners will come to Am\u00e1 on Tuesdays, enjoy learning about the tacos, the chef\u2019s stories and delight in something delicious.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt Am\u00e1, we [are trying to keep it] super classy \u2014 trying to respect culture, trying to respect heritage,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have done a lot of research on products, on stories, on states, on regions, and we want to break the ice a little bit and go into something a little bit more fun for Tuesday. Something that will get you off the couch and be like, \u2018You know what? Let\u2019s go have lobster tacos and support something that is important.\u2019 Why not?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s be a community,\u201d he added. \u201cLet\u2019s greet people. Let\u2019s greet industry people. Let\u2019s all support each other.\u201d<\/p>\n

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