Museum dedicated to Mexican cuisine opens in Los Angeles

LA Plaza Cocina, the country’s first museum celebrating Mexican food and cooking, opened last month in Los Angeles. It is an expansion of the downtown LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, a cultural center devoted to Mexican heritage.

“Mexican food is one of our greatest cultural contributions to the world,” said Gloria Molina, LA Plaza board member and former LA county supervisor, when the museum plans were announced. 

“LA Cocina will be a place where we celebrate Mexican culinary arts through exhibitions, cooking classes, lectures, demonstrations, festivals, and much more,” said John Echeveste, former LA Plaza CEO.  “It will be a space where chefs from throughout Mexico and the United States can share the treasures of their craft with Mexican food aficionados.”

The opening exhibit, “Maize: Past, Present, and Future” tells the story of corn and its integral role in Mexican food and culture. Everything from ancient tools and artifacts, to modern photography of this important ingredient, are on display.

“Maize is the foundation of Mesoamerican societies and arguably Mexico’s greatest gift to the world,” said food historian Maite Gomez-Rejón. “In pre-colonial Mexico rituals involving maize marked the beginning of life. It is appropriate that LA Cocina’s inaugural exhibition would celebrate this sacred grain.”

Read more here about the many ways to enjoy this versatile food.