Zack Wangeman

Bushwick, Brooklyn

Zach Wangeman has given Morgan Ave a taste of Oaxaca. Sobre Masa is a lovely tortilleria that turns out some of the best Oaxacan food in Brooklyn. The menu is ever-changing, but if you can get your hands on an Aguachile, you must try it. On top of being a go-to neighborhood spot, they have a very unique cocktail program that will blow you away. Just warning you, the Michelada is massive. The long list of tequila and mezcal doesn’t hurt either.

Full name, age, where are you from?

Zack Wangeman, 31 from Oaxaca Mexico.

What is your title and where do you work?  

I’m the chef and owner of Sobre Masa.

What inspired you to work in the food industry?

 I love to eat and I love to share food. I love to share stories and have conversations about food. 

What is your biggest customer pet peeve?

When they say they know good Mexican food because they are from California. 

What is your most blissful food moment?

Spending time in the kitchen at Etxebarri in the Basque country in Spain. The respect and thought that goes into ingredients in that place changed my life. 

What dish do you want to perfect in the kitchen?
Not a dish but the dining experience as a whole. Always thinking about everything from menu engineering to evolving sauces on the menu. 

If you could shout out a colleague or friend in the industry who would it be and why?

Felipe Donnelly, answers the phone every time and has been an influential mentor in helping me navigate restaurant operations.  

What is the best food city?

I love all expressions of different cultures you can find in the city, from Korean bbq to amazing pizza and world-class cocktails, I love the fact you can do it all within a couple blocks.  

How do you relax outside of work?

I like to have dinner and see what’s new in NYC.

What is your astrology sign (including moon and rising)?
 Taurus son Leo rising had to google that.