BBCcom_Content_Index_for_March_20_2018.txt
'Eat What You Want, Pay What You Can' at restaurants across Mexico City.txt
'Eat What You Want,quina-4883 Pay What You Can' at restaurants across Mexico CitySkip to contentAdvertisementBritish Broadcasting CorporationRegisterSign InHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListTo the Ends of The Earth EarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcast CategoriesRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersAdvertisement'Eat What You Want, Pay What You Can' at restaurants across Mexico City26 August 2025ShareSaveLynn BrownShareSaveAna Lorenzana(Credit: Ana Lorenzana)Michelin-starred Masala y Maiz hopes to spread the trend across Mexico and around the world.When Norma Listman and Saqib Keval, owners and chefs at one of Mexico City's most popular restaurants, Masala y Maiz, won their first Michelin star, they were in New York City at a party for a fellow chef."Our team was calling us, and we weren't answering the phone," explains Listman with a laugh. "And then the nerdiest of our managers, the most serious one calls, and I was like, he never calls unless something is wrong. Turns out that we were live on the stage [at the Michelin awards]."The couple, known for establishing the restaurant's groundbreaking "Eat What You Want, Pay What You Can" initiative, is much more passionate about supporting community than prestigious accolades. Spending time celebrating a fellow chef they admire instead of attending an awards ceremony in honour of themselves is much more in Listman and Keval's wheelhouse.Ana LorenzanaFor husband and wife Norma Listman and Saqib Keval, community was the main impetus behind expanding the "Eat What You Want, Pay What You Can" initiative (Credit: Ana Lorenzana)Take, for example, the pay-what-you-can model that has made Masala y Maiz so popular. Several times a year, restaurant-goers are offered a menu of the restaurant's signature Mexican, African and Indian-fusion dishes alongside an envelope in which to leave whatever payment they have available or deem acceptable. There is no bill and no reservations, guests must line up for a first-come, first-served experience. But there is one requirement: diners must write how much of what they've left is intended for the staff rather than the restaurant itself.The practice is intended to ensure that everyone in the city, regardless of their economic status, can enjoy the dishes prepared here: Camarones pa'pelar, a shrimp dish cooked with vanilla, lime and ghee, and the Kuku Poussin, a small fried chicken served with cheese, lettuce and a tamarind dressing. They are prepared exactly the same as on a normal day in both size and quality, but with no price tag attached. The couple says they don't lose money on the event. Most visitors give something, even if it's only original art for the staff, while others have paid more, they say, sometimes as much as three times the usual cost.For the owners, it's a particularly poignant move in a city struggling with issues of gentrification and overtourism. "There's a lot of class discrepancies, there's a lot of economic discrepancies in the city," says Listman. "There are people who are making all the money and people doing all the work. This is going to bridge that class divide and that economic divide and make restaurants accessible for everyone – at least for one day."Ana LorenzanaMasala y Maiz just became one of Mexico City's newest Michelin restaurants, which its owners hope will raise awareness of the "pay what you can" initiative (Credit: Ana Lorenzana)Though the ceremony wasn't their cup of tea, Listman and Keval recognised how a Michelin star could benefit their community, raising awareness of this idea beyond their own prospective diners and to other restaurants across Mexico City. This year, for the first time, 20 additional Mexico City eateries will participate in a "Eat What You Want, Pay What You Can Day" on 27 August based on the Masala y Maiz model. The event is to be the first of what Keval hopes will become a tradition around the world."We've had people from Chile reach out, from Colombia, from other parts of Mexico, from Peru that want to join," he told the BBC. "And I don't see why this couldn't be like 'pay what you can international.'"This year, participating businesses range from small family-owned bakeries called panaderías like Panadería Valle Luna in the Colonia Juarez, to Expendio de Maíz, another of the city's Michelin-starred spots, which serves traditional Mexican dishes with an emphasis on corn. There are more than 20 restaurants in total participating in the event, which Listman and Keval expect will only grow next year."We were primarily motivated by community building," said Ximena Igartúa, of Loup Bar in the Cuauhtémoc District, which is participating in the event. "It's a collective message of unity and solidarity, and an invitation to try to break preconceived ideas. It's also a way of giving back to our customers for everything we receive."Ana LorenzanaMasala y Maiz in Mexico City is known both for their unique Mexican, African and Indian fusion cuisine and their "pay what you can" days (Credit: Ana Lorenzana)Keval hopes the event could spark a larger worldwide trend, a dream which may already be in motion. There are already other pay what you can schemes elsewhere, such as Annalakshmi Restaurant in Singapore or Rethink Cafe in Brooklyn, NY, independent of the Mexico City initiative. As for the owners of Masala y Maiz, the hope is that more restaurants – and more people – will be able to benefit from a great meal at any price."Restaurant work is so demanding and the returns on it are so diminishing. The margins are so tight that it's hard to have space to dream," Keval says. "[But] this is something that can be done."--If you liked this story, sign up for The Essential List newsletter – a handpicked selection of features, videos and can't-miss news, delivered to your inbox twice a week. For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook and Instagram.Thoughtful TravelFood & DrinkHospitalityRestaurantFeaturesWatchThe traditional Turkish pudding with a surprising twistOriginating in Topkapi Palace where it delighted Ottoman sultans, this delicacy has a surprising ingredient.25 Jun 2025Food & DrinkWould you eat a meal dreamed up by a computer?AI v The Mind: We explore the world of food and ask if human expertise is the only way to deliver great flavour.23 Aug 2024InnovationTurkey's wild and rugged Black Sea regionFood writer Nick Kwek finds out how the wild landscape of Turkey's Black Sea region influences local cuisine.1 Aug 2024Food & DrinkThe blunder that changed chickens foreverHow this one simple mistake gave birth to the 50-billion-dollar US chicken industry.25 Mar 2024Food & DrinkThe hunt for the world's most expensive fungusReel takes you to Italy to explore how the world's rarest and most expensive ingredient ends up on our tables.4 Jan 2024Food & DrinkWhat food and drink is good for your memory?What we eat, it turns out, can have an impact on how well our memory works.2 Jan 2024Food & DrinkHow safe is frozen fruit?A huge recall of frozen fruits is currently happening across the US due to contamination fears. 21 Dec 2023Food & DrinkThe world's oldest drinkable champagneHow the discovery of the world's oldest drinkable champagne is inspiring new green solutions.17 Oct 2023Food & DrinkThe harmful legacy of poor nutritionWhat we eat, or don’t eat, can have a huge impact on us and the generations after us.28 Feb 2023Food & DrinkThe truth behind your favourite flavoursThe psychology and biology of flavour preference is some of the most fascinating science out there.2 Feb 2023Food & DrinkJapan: Creating the first wagyu beef in a labWe meet the scientists creating wagyu beaf, a Japanese delicacy with a distinctive texture, from cells.16 Jan 2023Food & DrinkHow a vegan diet can affect your brainCan changing to a vegan diet impact the health of your brain?4 Jan 2023Food & DrinkSpicy chillies: Behind the agonising pleasure of capsaicinWhy humans are one of only two mammals known to tolerate the burn of spicy hot chilli peppers.22 Nov 2022Food & DrinkThe fight to feed humanityA look at how the world's farmers responding to some of the greatest threats to global food security.8 Nov 2022Food & DrinkThe surprising role chocolate played for ancient humansWe discover why the use of chocolate is older than we think, and the role it played for ancient humans.1 Nov 2022Food & DrinkHow beetroot can enhance your performanceIn the past decade, new evidence has suggested that nitrates in beetroots can enhance athletic performance.24 Oct 2022Food & DrinkThe truth about drinking raw milkThe debate for and against pasteurisation across industries and seas is a passionate one.3 Oct 2022Food & DrinkThe Russian food obsession inspired by the USWhat thick, tangy, creamy white sauce links Stalin, French haute cuisine and American mass industrialisation?30 Aug 2022Food & DrinkWhy is cod so popular in Portugal?From kings to dictators, Portugal’s leaders have always used cod as a political tool.11 Aug 2022Food & DrinkHow sushi took over the worldThinly sliced raw fish on plain white rice. How did this Japanese staple become a global sensation?21 Jun 2022Food & DrinkADVERTISEMENTHow Much Does A New Garden Fence Cost In 2025? (View)A well-chosen garden fence can transform your outdoor area, providing privacy, security, and aesthetic appeal. This guide explores various garden fence...Garden Fence | Paid ContentPaid ContentEx-sergeant major admits sexually assaulting soldier who took her own lifeMichael Webber pleaded guilty to sexual assault against teenage soldier Jaysley Beck, who was left traumatised by the incident.Udaipur: Death penalty for Indian man who burnt alive wife over skin colourThe judge said the murder fell in the category of "rarest of the rare" and was "a crime against humanity".PC admits pretending to be paedophile hunter to blackmail suspectThe PC anonymously demanded ￡3,500 from a man arrested on suspicion of possessing indecent images of children.Aylesbury pensioner who murdered neighbour gets 22-year jail termA judge rules that an 80-year-old murderer must serve 22 years in jail before parole is considered.SS Princess Alice: The river disaster which killed hundredsThe sinking of the SS Princess Alice killed nearly 700 people having left from Sheerness in 1878.More from the BBC15 hrs agoThe road trip that celebrates a musical legendMany towns and cities along the Blues Trail have planned festivals, exhibitions and live music to mark the 100th birthday of the homegrown musical legend.15 hrs ago17 hrs ago'He is an awful man': Why we are wrong about DarcyMostly miserable and even "unforgivably cruel", Jane Austen's famous romantic hero is not what he seems, writes the author Sebastian Faulks, in an exclusive extract.17 hrs ago18 hrs agoThe simple test to check how old your lungs areThe condition of our lungs can reveal a great deal about our wider health. Luckily you can also get them into better shape.18 hrs ago2 days agoWhey to go: Is cheese the new reason to travel?From Alpine caves to Corsica's mountains, travellers are discovering France's landscapes and traditions through its most famous dairy delicacy.2 days ago2 days agoHow Goodfellas reinvented the gangster filmMartin Scorsese's crime epic was released 35 years ago. In 1990, the director and his stars, Robert De Niro and Ray Liotta, revealed its secrets to the BBC.2 days agoBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherBBC ShopBritBoxBBC in other languagesFollow BBC on:Terms of UseAbout the BBCPrivacy PolicyCookiesAccessibility HelpContact the BBCAdvertise with usDo not share or sell my infoBBC.com Help & FAQsContent IndexCopyright 2025 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.
