For Michael Brannock, the idea of teaching educational classes has always been a vital part of his restaurant’s business model.
Streetlight Taco’s Chef-Partner holds monthly classes in South Tampa where folks learn about the lifeblood of the modern Mexican restaurant—heirloom masa (corn dough) that’s nixtamalized and milled in-house on a daily basis.
“I’ve always loved teaching and training has been a huge part of my career. With everything that’s been shared with me in my life, I always want to help pass that on to others,” Brannock says. “Every time I’ve been to Mexico, if there’s something I wanted to learn, whatever it was, total strangers have been happy to show me. I hope to provide a little bit of here within a business environment.”
Brannock’s masa classes happen about once a month at the Michelin-recommended Streetlight Taco (4004 Henderson Blvd.), and a $75 ticket includes an hour-ish class, some fresh masa, a tortilla press, lunch plus a “surprise bite,” a drink and a $10 gift card.
He says that each time he teaches one of the casual, educational lunch classes, at least a third of attendees have never been to the restaurant before, which is quite surprising to him.
