Mexicorn – At The Goods Yard

Mexicorn is the brain-child of Jen Bell-Taylor who alternates being a chef with running water-sports activities, so needs to be based by the sea.  When the opportunity for a Mexican offer came up in The Goods Yard at Folkestone Harbour, Jen was straight in there with her application.  Folkelife met her to find out what’s on the menu.

“Folkestone has so much to offer me and my partner Emma.  It’s close to London which helps as Emma is a TV editor.  It helps me because the drive in tourism and events happening at Folkestone Harbour have pulled me back to working in hospitality after a few years running sea sports activities in Camber.  I needed to cut my teeth again in the kitchen and so when we moved to Folkestone I started work at Mark Sargeant’s place here.  I then moved to a premium level care home in Maidstone.  It got me back to basics of high-volume production, feeding 70 people breakfast, lunch and supper.  I thought, if I can do this, I can do anything.”

trabajando solo

“I have wanted to work for myself for a while now, and my love of Mexican food and fermented food feature heavily on the menu of Mexicorn.  Something that accompanies my tacos is ‘curtido’ which is more of a nod to El Salvadorian cuisine than Mexican.  It’s white cabbage with onion, carrots, oregano and lime, and then lacto-fermented by using 2-3% salt in the mix.  Using really air-tight jars, you leave this for a number of days and it produces a tangy, zingy, fresh crunch that pairs wonderfully with the Mexican flavours.

“One of the other advantages of my menu is it’s totally gluten free.  Not by any direct intention, but it’s better for everyone’s gut health to not have too much wheat in our diet.  A traditional taco is made of corn, there are wheat tacos but affectionately called ‘gringo tacos’ in Mexico, for the white foreigners.”

Yellow Taco, Blue taco

“We have Elotes, which means corn, so I’ve cut the corn cobs into ribs making them easier to eat.  These are served with a blanco sauce which is a white cheese dressing, flavourwise similar to feta cheese. Then there’s a fermented red pepper sauce that I make which goes over the top, and a good sprinkle of corriander.  Colour is so important in food, and this really pops.  You can have this with black pudding on too which I get from a company in Scotland.  They use a traditional recipe and are one of the few companies that make it gluten free. I lightly cook it and sprinkle it on the top so you get this peppery umaminess that goes against the sweetness of the corn, the tangy heat of the chilli pepper and the saltiness of the cheese.  And that’s just the first thing on the menu.

“We’re using both yellow and blue tacos which adds colour and vibrancy to the dishes. You get a different flavour from each too.  There’s a definite sweetness that comes from the blue.  And I have a choice of three toppings – chilli beef, chicken chipotle and chilli beans.  If you choose to have one of each it looks so aesthetically pleasing with the different coloured tacos.”

secret seasoning

“I make my own seasoning blends too so that we get a different heat from each dish.  The chipotle chicken is the mildest, but flavourful with lime and zingy!  The chilli beef is slow cooked and has more heat, and the chilli beans is similar to a chilli con carne, but with beans it’s the vegan option.  It’s dressed with vegan cheese and guacamole.  You can order all three, or five of them if you like.  

“Nachos are a must, so we have those with all the toppings.  There’s a pico de gallo sauce on there which is a non-sloppy salsa, which would ruin the chips and make it go all soggy.  I dice fresh tomatoes, onions and a nice bit of lime going through.”

service game

“There’s a great opportunity to have specials on the menu for events across the year.  For example, for Wimbledon I’m preparing a Fresco con Crema which is a Mexican take on strawberries and cream.  The cream is a blend of sour cream, evaporated milk and condensed milk, with strawberries and a chilli chocolate sauce as an optional extra. 

“I’ve also heard about the Mulled Wine competition at Christmas which I’m looking forward to.  I’m heading down the sangria route for mine, so come and try that on the menu in the summer for a hint of what’s to come when it gets colder.”

folkestone harbour

“The work that has gone into creating the atmosphere here is incredible. The vibe at the Harbour on a busy day is incredible. And what a year to join, with the 10 Year anniversary, Women’s Euros, Wimbledon, I can’t wait for The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever. 

“What I’ve really noticed is that everyone is so welcoming and supportive.  The team at Brewing Brothers is great, you can see they get on well with each other and it comes across in the environment around them.  I know I’m new, but I’ve witnessed this across the Harbour and it’s good to see.”

customer satisfaction

“I think it’s the nicest thing to be able to see your customer’s reactions to your food. When you’re back in the kitchen behind everything it’s hard to know what the customer is thinking.  I’m looking forward to being able to see everyone enjoying my food in front of me. 

“It’s the whole point of what we do, we create food and drink and hope that everyone will gather round and have a good time, and if you’re lucky, you get to witness people appreciating it.”