Los Hernandez Tamales in Union Gap has earned a loyal following since opening in 1990. The small cinder-block shop gained national attention this year when they won a James Beard Award.

A cinder-block shop along Main Street in Union Gap is a necessary detour for many people, especially right before Christmas.

“It's always one of the whistle stops,” said Jason Rau, who visited from White Salmon during a recent work trip.

Los Hernandez Tamales has earned a loyal following since it opened in 1990.

“It’s not Hispanic food. It's American food. It's food. That's what people come for,” said owner Felipe Hernandez.

Hernandez figured people would like to eat tamales all year, not just during the holidays when families traditionally make them in big batches.

“It's for a birthday; it's for dinner, it's for a special occasion. We're having a BBQ, we're having a ballgame,” said Hernandez.

Customers lined up and kept coming back as Los Hernandez became well known in the Yakima Valley, and among savvy passers-by. But recently, Los Hernandez attracted a level of attention they had not prepped for.

In January of this past year, a woman from New York City called with some news that would put Union Gap on the food map. Los Hernandez had won a James Beard Award; it's essentially the Oscars of food.

“I said, ‘find out, make sure it's not a scam,’” Hernandez recalled with a laugh.

No, it was the real thing. The family soon stood on stage alongside famous chefs whose restaurants require reservations six months in advance.

“Excited, just happy, because I just cannot believe that being so little that we would win something so cool,” said Rachel Wilburn, Felipe’s daughter who helps run the business.

Back on Main Street they were soon so overwhelmed with orders they had to close one day a week.

“We had to do it, we had to do something,” said Hernandez.

In October they moved into a new production space triple the size of their old one. Hernandez hired six more workers and employs about a team of twenty to keep up with all the new demand.

“We have doubled our business,” said Hernandez. “There doesn't seem to be an end to it.”

Customers now visit not just from out of town, but out of state.

“I just had a guy drive all the way from California to try our tamales,” said Wilburn.

Christmas orders are piling up, and Wilburn says it all crescendos on Christmas Eve.