Walking Tacos

Kristen Kish's Midwest-inspired meal is ideal for snackers on the move.

- By Joy Cho

Topped with pickled jalapeños and ranch dressing, Walking Tacos (p. 94) are pure nostalgia.

COMFORT FOOD IS ALWAYS DEEPLY PERSONAL, even for the most acclaimed chefs. "The things that are fun and joyful to me are my comfort foods," says Top Chef winner and host Kristen Kish. "I think we can all relate to that. We all have food that makes us feel loved and comfortable, and love is joy."

For Kish, joy comes in the form of a savory shaken mobile snack called Walking Tacos (recipe p. 94), a dish that harks back to her school cafeteria days, years before culinary school, fine-dining kitchens, and television stardom. "I wish I could say it was a Kristen Kish original idea, but it all came from my upbringing in the Midwest," says Kish, who grew up in Kentwood, Michigan. Portable and cheekily named, "walking tacos" (or "Frito pie," as it's referred to in Texas) typically feature Fritos, Doritos, or any type of tortilla chips mixed with standard taco fixings and are eaten straight from the bag with a fork-or, as Kish prefers, a spork. "Give me something that resembles a shovel-that is my preferred way of eating things."

IN THIS BOOK Written by Gina Hamadey, ¡Buenos Nachos! celebrates all things nachos, with over 75 recipes from celebrities and chefs such as Andrew Zimmern, Rachael Ray, and Bill Hader.