Chef Fermín Núñez vs the Sunday Scaries

Chef Fermín Núñez’s Sunday to-do list looks a bit different than most. While most people are folding piles of laundry and fighting off the Sunday scaries, Núñez, chef and co-owner of Suerte and Este in Austin, is busy cleaning out his porrón and preparing ingredients for a giant chicken, chorizo, and seafood paella — one large enough to feed 80 people. That’s the minimum number of folks who show up to the 2021 F&W Best New Chef’s legendary Dominguitos parties.

Dominguitos, Núñez’s Spanish pet name for “Sundays,” is the chef’s way of reclaiming Sunday by making it a day for community and celebration instead of a churn of chores and stress. He threw the first Dominguitos three years ago. “I was trying to figure out who I was as a person and a chef,” explains Núñez, “and I wanted to have friendships that were not necessarily only with chefs.” Because people who work in the hospitality industry don’t usually have the typical weekend structure of both Saturday and Sunday off, finding downtime in common with people who work nonrestaurant jobs can be a challenge — Sunday is often the one day of overlap. At Dominguitos, “you still get a chance to hang out with the people in your life who are not in the hospitality industry,” says Núñez.

Dominguitos doesn’t take place on a regular schedule. Nor is it always in the same place — sometimes, Núñez hosts in his backyard; other times, the event takes place at a friend’s house. There are only a handful of rules: One, Núñez always dresses in white. (“It’s just the uniform of Dominguitos,” he says.) Two, he always makes something to feed a crowd; more often than not, that’s paella, something he doesn’t cook in his restaurants. Three, everything else must be cooked on the chef’s tiny Lodge Sportsman’s Pro Grill. The fourth and final rule is that everyone is invited—families and kids of fellow chefs and front-of-house employees, local entrepreneurs, even “the barber who cuts every chef’s hair” — as long as they show up ready to have a good time.

On a recent Dominguitos at the home of Núñez’s friend Luke Fernandez, president of Atlas Coffee Club, guests included chefs and restaurateurs like Rick Lopez of La Condesa, Arjav Ezekiel and Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel of Birdie’s (2023 F&W Restaurant of the Year), 2017 F&W Best New Chef Yoshi Okai of Otoko, and Sara Mardanbigi of Nixta Taqueria. There were also guests from the Austin-based companies Made In and Ooni, the founder of beverage company Bawi, musician Adrian Quesada of Black Pumas, and Núñez’s mom, Elvira, who proved to be a pro at the porrón.

Núñez provided the paella and a refreshing mango-and-citrus salad and put his Lodge grill to work, making cheesy carne asada quesadillas for the early crowd. But no one showed up empty-handed, and as the evening continued, guests brought Buffalo wings and skewers of souvlaki to throw on the grill, and front-of-house staff arrived with their favorite bottles. “Usually, the people who don’t work in the industry are the ones that bring things that restaurant workers often forget about … like water,” says Núñez with a laugh.

As the night progressed — the kids clearing out, the paella pan scraped empty, the pile of empty wine bottles stacking up — the remaining attendees shouted the Dominguitos slogan, “Dominguitos, no te acabes!” followed by hugs, high-fives, and laughter. The phrase, which roughly translates to “Little Sundays, don’t ever end!” is emblazoned in big letters on a sign that he hangs at each party. And while the clock eventually runs out on this Sunday, and Monday will soon arrive, Dominguitos continues to live on until the next gathering, a few months from now. Dominguitos is really an attitude, says Núñez. “It’s about enjoying your time away from wherever you’re usually needed.”

Recipes

Carne Asada Quesadillas with Charred Tomato Salsa

These simple but spectacular quesadillas are stuffed with sliced rib eye, cheese, and salsa, then cooked on the grill for a smoky finish.

Mango and Citrus Salad with Hoja Santa Green Goddess

Green goddess dressing gets a makeover in this fruit salad thanks to the inclusion of hoja santa, which adds a minty, peppery flavor.

Cheesy Pinto Bean Dip with Chorizo and Chiles

Creamy pinto beans combine with smoky, fruity chiles, salty bacon and chorizo, and gooey shredded cheese in this crowd-pleasing dip.

Meletti Spritz

This cocktail is only four ingredients and doesn’t require any shaking. The simple formula of Prosecco, Meletti Amaro, and soda water makes a refreshing, lightly bubbly drink with notes of warm spices.

The best drinks for Dominguitos

We asked our favorite Austin-area beverage pros what they’re bringing to the next Dominguitos party. Here’s what they said.

A cold sparkling wine

Txakolina, a light, effervescent wine from Spain’s Basque region that tastes great ice-cold, is the official wine of Dominguitos, especially for serving from a porrón. “Bodegas Rezabal Txakoli is spritzy and fruit-forward, great for a refreshing white to pair with spice,” says Celia Pellegrini, director of operations and wine at Este and Suerte. Sara Mardanbigi, co-owner of Nixta Taqueria, agrees: “In general, I bring four to five bottles because I think a porrón is the perfect vessel for sharing and getting to know new people.”

A basic beer

When it comes to beer, Dominguitos guests were unanimous in their vote for Modelo. “Modelo Especial — can, not bottle. Nothing fancy,” says Mardanbigi. Arjav Ezekiel, co-owner of Birdie’s (the 2023 F&W Restaurant of the Year), agrees: “It’s cheap and totally delicious.”

Sake and cider

Yoshi Okai, executive chef at Otoko and Watertrade, normally brings sake (“’Cause I’m Japanese, I guess?”) or a brut cider from Austin Eastciders, “’Cause I live on the East Side, and I love cider!”

Something nonalcoholic

“I really love the Ghia Sumac & Chili Le Spritz,” says Mardanbigi. “I’m Persian, so I gravitate toward things that remind me of home. It’s really refreshing and has a great zing to pair with an asada or whatever is being thrown down during Dominguitos!” Ezekiel loves the entire nonalcoholic line by St. Agrestis. “The Phony Negroni is wonderful, and it makes for a great aperitif on the rocks with an orange twist.” For sparkling water, Okai always brings Topo Chico, “Because it’s the best!”