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Fernando y Jennifer Tamayo
By Natalia Ortega
In December 2012, chefs Fernando Tamayo and Jennifer Tamayo opened the doors of the first Tamale Co. in the Hourglass District of Orlando, Florida.
Both are passionate about the renowned tamales. Since then, they have dedicated themselves to perfecting this traditional dish, which they create in far more varieties than most Mexican restaurants. In addition to the basic chicken and pork tamales, their current menu includes a tamale filled with black beans; a tamale filled with grilled nopales; and the Chile Relleno Tamale, filled with Chihuahua cheese, grilled poblano peppers, and grilled caramelized onions.
And they don’t just serve these tamales straight up. They add toppings such as chorizo, grilled mushrooms, and a vegetable mix, and then cover them with sauces such as mole negro, ranchero and tomatillo.
For 13 years they have pleased diners with this selection of tamales – and other traditional Mexican dishes -- and this year they decided to expand with a second restaurant in the Orlando neighborhood of College Park.
The restaurant will open on May 5th, in time for Cinco de Mayo. But they are not only going to expand their business, but also their family. Jennifer Tamayo is expecting her first baby, Fernando Junior, who is due this spring, close to the opening of the restaurant.
Chorizo Tamale
The current restaurant is already full of people, day and night, as they serve from breakfast to dinner. This means a lot of work for both Fernando and Jennifer. However, they are very excited and ready for this new challenge.
“Expanding was always part of our plans. It's been a long road and we need to keep growing on this journey. Not only with our new premises, but also with our baby Tamayo!” says Jennifer.“Fernando Junior is a blessing and we know he will bring us good luck. It's true that it's scary to have two babies at the same time, but we know that good fortune always comes in pairs. Life will be so much more exciting.”
They will add new exclusive dishes to the new location, which will be revealed later, but in essence they will keep the same menu and atmosphere as the first one.
“The restaurant will have the same essence and menu as the one in Hourglass. It will be modern and traditional, with Mexican decorations and will offer the famous tamales and street food that represent our Mexican roots,” say the Tamayos.
Both are enthusiastic and grateful for the welcome that the community has given Tamale Co. They hope that they will be welcomed in the same way at College Park.
“This expansion is a reflection of the beautiful community that has welcomed us, and of the love we have received, which is why we have grown. This reaffirms that we are on the right track,” they say.
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