Meet Katya Nathal | Chef

We had the good fortune of connecting with Katya Nathal and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Katya, what matters most to you?
Its a blessing to work in a food truck because my passion with serving food has always been and will forever be about connecting with my community. By being smaller, it forces this vulnerability that brings out real connection and discussion. The customer can see everything that our business is, and everyone is only an arm reach to any question, request or comment you have, and vice versa. It’s all a really special experience.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At On Point Wings, it’s really just our team: Dylan, my sous chef, Xymena, and I all traveling the world through sauces and spices. As kids, Xymena and I have mainly ate meals at immigrant houses or families, and with that getting to grow up on the amazing different foods that are available in Texas. Getting to have such a delicious and neutral base as the iconic fried chicken, we get an opportunity to explore all the ingenious techniques from various cultures and countries, and implement them to our medium: wings. We once tried to be an “Every Man’s” kind of wing joint, but unfortunately we just can’t keep as many sauces as the brick and mortar competitors, and truthfully we got burned out making the same simple sauces every week (no hate though). Ultimately, we decided to embrace our need to make crazy, multicultural sauces and we’ve never looked back.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If we’re starting on the weekend, we’ve got to start with a fun night out on Denton’s square. My newest obsession has been El Taco H in Denton: the food and drinks are amazing, the atmosphere and salsa bar is astonishing, and they have salsa dancing on Friday-its just the best environment to fill your stomach and heart with love before you go tromping around town. Sometimes we park, but often visit Eastside for its Austin st Truck Stop-its always worth checking out new trucks and trying their specials.
For the next morning, The Taste over by the college in Denton has clean, delicious and healing Korean bites. The fried mackerel fills my soul.
For the last day of the weekend, a good afternoon visit to Rollertown Beerworks in Celina is always a good time. Food trucks, amazing beers, and a friendly and relaxed atmosphere thats also close to the downtown.
Beginning the new week, a location that I make sure to drive by on my way to work, and always makes a wonderful visit; Ray Roberts State Park. The bridge across has an amazing and peaceful view, and inside the park is a beach, plenty of hidden picnic spots, and enjoyable hiking routes.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to shout out the last person you interviewed with On Point Wings; the owner, and my sister: Xymena Dietz. I had gone from job to job, looking for any kitchen that would allow me in but kept getting forced into being a server due to preconceived notions built in gender roles. Maybe there was an opportunity with the other restaurants as front of house, but I didn’t want that. I just wanted to cook-and Xymena understood that. She was the first person to let me into a kitchen, and then gave me full creative control of it. I’m so grateful everyday to her giving me my dream job; and that the truck would never be where it is if she didn’t have such a trusting and open mindset.

Instagram: @onpointwings

Facebook: @onpointwings

Image Credits
Portrait of wing toss action shot was captured and edited by: Joshua Arvie @joshua-arvie and at https://joshuaarvie.com