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"Started at the onset of the pandemic by Elizabeth Heitner and later joined by Nestor Silva, I followed their Malli pop-up as it grew into a Mexican- and Jewish‑inspired project that became one of Los Angeles’s favorite pop‑ups and recently toured New York. They launched with Mexican chocolate babka alongside their signature pastrami taco—an item that earned a 'wow' when chef Jeremy Fox ordered it—and have evolved from making dishes that were clearly Mexican or Jewish into flavor-driven concepts and techniques. The pair will take over Bay Area kitchens for events on Oct. 16, 18 and 20, and their work has benefited from help arranging pop-ups from Silva’s brother Esteban." - Paolo Bicchieri