TRUCKEE, Calif. – After a year of quiet recipe testing, customer conversations and a full rebrand, MASA Kitchen has officially opened its doors in Truckee, bringing a blend of slow-fermented sourdough pizza and scratch-made Mexican and international dishes.

Owner Michael Culp, who bought the former Best Pies Pizzeria and Restaurant on October 1 last year, spent the past 12 months getting to know local diners before rolling out his own concept. Born and raised in southeast Mexico and schooled as an engineer, he came to Tahoe at age 20 and after finishing college and becoming a “ski bum,” worked in the food and beverage industry at several large local hotels before getting picked by Tesla to help with their Sparks Gigafactory and ultimately running their culinary operations serving over 100,000 employees.

“I wanted to learn my customer base and really understand what people liked,” Culp said. “I kept the items locals loved, but I put my own spin on them. Mostly, I wanted to make food the way I eat – healthier, cleaner and from scratch.”

One of the first changes he made was switching the pizza operation to a traditional sourdough process. Instead of using commercial yeast, the kitchen now relies on a natural starter that takes seven days to create. Only 20% of each batch becomes dough, which then ferments for 72 hours before baking.

“It’s the slow way instead of the fast way,” he added. “The fermentation eats a lot of the gluten and lowers the glycemic values. It just tastes better and is better for you.”

The shift required months of trial and error. Despite having managed and worked with pizza restaurants in the past, he said he had never developed dough from scratch and spent six months learning to get the starter right.

While refining the pizza program, he also began introducing dishes tied to his heritage – especially the Pibil Tacos, now among the restaurant’s top sellers. The slow-cooked pork dish features Mayan spices, including annato, and comes topped with pickled onions and house-made habanero salsa on fresh-pressed tortillas.

“People always told me I should open a restaurant every time I cooked for them,” said Culp. “I knew I wanted to bring these dishes to town; I just had to figure out how to marry the concepts.”

The combination menu blends New York–style sourdough pizza with a growing selection of Mexican and international dishes, including burgers, charcuterie and Spanish specialties. Everything is made in-house without seed oils or preservatives.

Throughout the transition, he said staying connected with locals was essential. He and his team ran specials, tested a “secret menu” and invited feedback while still serving the slice-style pizza many residents have grown attached to.

“That’s why they keep coming back — they felt part of the process,” he said.

The restaurant formally transitioned to the MASA Kitchen name on October 1 – exactly one year after the purchase. Just weeks later, the owner welcomed a new baby, adding to what he called a “crazy but exciting” season for his family and the business.

At its core, he said, MASA Kitchen aims to serve handmade, simple, flavorful food rooted in tradition.

“We’re trying to get back to basics – handmade, minimal ingredients, clean labels,” Culp added. “Healthy, but still hearty and full of flavor.”

Masa Kitchen is located at 10068 Donner Pass Rd. in Truckee. For more information visit them online at masa.kitchen.