In Mexico City, tensions over soaring living costs, fueled by an influx of American and European 'digital nomads,' erupted when hundreds of chilangos protested in Roma and Condesa on the 4th of July weekend, targeting both foreign-owned and wealthy Mexican-owned businesses with vandalism to demand an end to gentrification.
Saqib Keval and Norma Listman, the visionary chefs behind Michelin-starred Masala y Maíz, are bringing their pay-what-you-can model to working-class chilangos fed up with dollar-wielding expats driving up costs.
On August 27, they’re leading over 15 Mexico City restaurants—and global allies—in a bold stand against gentrification, daring the food world to make dining a right, not a privilege.
“It’s a small gesture with a big impact: An act of radical hospitality and trust that people respond to,” Keval tells L.A. TACO.