“Most chefs and restaurant owners stay in the closet about their personal views. I don’t,” she says. “Closets are for clothes.”
This “Chingona” attitude gets her respect or gets people
running toward the door. She found that the way to eliminate the male-dominant discrimination rampant in the industry is simply by asserting, “I’m the boss!” Chef Esparza is active not only in the kitchen but also in the community at large. One of her first faithful customers told her: with great success comes great responsibility. It has rung true ever since, and it is something she does from the bottom of her heart. To her, it is important to be a part of the community you serve. During Covid, she converted the kitchen into a volunteer community kitchen and fed thousands for months. She closes the restaurant for Day Without Immigrants. She also spoke out against the much-criticized Arizona laws SB1070 and SB1064, as she collaborated with local artists to launch the Calle 16 Mural Project in 2010 as a protest against the former. “Most chefs and restaurant owners stay in the closet about their personal views. I don’t,” she says. “Closets are for clothes.” Speaking about things she likes in addition to Mexican cuisine, she is also a big fan of Italian food and culture. And a rather well-known secret is that she is a big fan of vintage cars. She owns her dream cars, including a 1965 Chevrolet Impala convertible, a 1959 ragtop Volkswagen, a 1941 Chevy Panel, and a custom 1950 Chevy Sedan Show lowrider, among others. She embraced the Chicano culture of California that she grew up with. And she made sure she was the one driving the car, not sitting next to a man driving it. She is now in the midst of finishing a book called La Hija de la Chingada , an autobiographical cookbook. It should be out by the end of 2023. She is also working with Wonder in NYC, a start-up and pioneer in the food delivery business. With her strong will, ability, and attitude, there is no doubt this badass chef will keep riding on her magnificent journey!
@CHEFSILVANA @THEBARRIOCAFE @DIGITALWONG
Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza
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