Don Artemio’s Maíz Workshop Brings a Corn Expert to Fort Worth
The blue corn tortillas at Don Artemio have always been worth the conversation. The Fort Worth restaurant, a 2023 James Beard Award finalist for Best New Restaurant, grinds heirloom corn daily on-site to produce the handmade tortillas that arrive at every table, a practice that sets the room apart from nearly everything else in North Texas. On May 6, that process becomes the event itself.
Don Artemio and La Fundación Tortilla are presenting Maíz and Nixtamalization, a hands-on cultural workshop at the restaurant beginning at 6:00 p.m. The evening’s featured guest is Rafael Mier, a Mexico City-based author and the founder and director of La Fundación Tortilla, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving corn as a living element of Mexican culture, nutrition, and biodiversity. Mier left a career in finance to pursue the work full-time after realizing his own family no longer knew how to make tortillas. He has spent the years since building one of the most serious public advocacy programs around corn and nixtamalization in the world.
Nixtamalization is the process of soaking and cooking dried corn in an alkaline solution, typically cal, or calcium hydroxide, to break down the outer hull and unlock nutrients that would otherwise remain inaccessible. The technique is Mesoamerican in origin, predating the arrival of Europeans in the Americas by thousands of years, and it is still the foundation of masa production today. What Mier brings to that history is both scholarly rigor and a genuine urgency: in his telling, the tortilla is not a side dish but a civilizational argument.
Chef Rodrigo Cárdenas, culinary director of Don Artemio and its sister restaurant Dos Mares, launched the restaurant’s nixtamalization program in 2021, sourcing heirloom corn from Tlaxcala and Oaxaca and grinding it in-house. He trained at the International Culinary Center in New York and worked under Daniel Boulud’s Dinex Group before returning to take the kitchen that his father, chef Juan Ramón Cárdenas, built. When Cárdenas says the workshop gives guests the chance to see how the restaurant expresses its passion for authenticity in its own kitchen, that’s not a press release formulation. It’s a fair description of what he actually does every day.
Guests will hear Mier speak on the history of corn and the science of the process before moving into the kitchen to make their own tortillas. The evening closes with a post-class meal of freshly made tacos and a margarita. The workshop is priced at $150 per person plus tax and gratuity and is open to food enthusiasts, professionals, and anyone who has ever wondered how the tortilla on their plate got there. Register through Resy before spots close.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Don Artemio located?
Don Artemio is located at 3268 W. 7th Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76107, in the Cultural District neighborhood near the Museum of Modern Art Fort Worth.
What is the official website for Don Artemio?
The official website is donartemio.us.
What is the phone number for Don Artemio?
Don Artemio can be reached by phone at 817-470-1439.
What are Don Artemio’s regular hours of operation?
Don Artemio is open Monday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sunday service features a brunch menu.
When is the Maíz and Nixtamalization workshop?
The workshop takes place on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, beginning at 6:00 p.m. at Don Artemio in Fort Worth.
How much do tickets cost and what is included?
Tickets are $150 per person plus tax and gratuity. The price includes an educational presentation from Rafael Mier, a hands-on tortilla-making workshop in the Don Artemio kitchen, and a post-class meal of freshly made tacos with a margarita.
How do I register for the workshop?
Registration is available through Resy at this link. Spots are limited and advance registration is required.
Who is Rafael Mier?
Rafael Mier is the founder and director of La Fundación Tortilla, a nonprofit organization in Mexico dedicated to promoting corn as a fundamental element of culture, nutrition, and economic development. He is the author of Maíz: Origen, Cultura y Cocina and one of the leading public advocates for nixtamalization and heirloom corn conservation in the world.
Is this event appropriate for someone without a culinary background?
Yes. The workshop is designed for a broad audience, including food enthusiasts, home cooks, students, and culinary professionals. No prior cooking experience is required to participate.
Is parking available at Don Artemio?
Street parking is available in the Cultural District. The restaurant does not have a dedicated parking lot, so guests are encouraged to plan accordingly, particularly for an evening event.