I come from a hard-working family and ever since I was young, I have always been a very independent and persevering person. At 16, I started working in a kitchen as a dishwasher to contribute financially at home and pay for my high school studies.
Getting into the culinary world was not among my priorities. In the beginning, I did it out of necessity, but after many years I realized that I wanted to continue my family’s legacy, as cooking was a talent I learned from my mother and grandmother ever since I was a child.
As time went by, I never imagined that I would dedicate myself to this. Many owners of the restaurants I worked with motivated me to improve and even paid for my studies in gastronomy to continue strengthening my skills.
In 2016, I was offered a unique job opportunity: I left Mexico and moved to San Pedro Sula, Honduras, to work in a Mexican restaurant. Due to the political situation in the country at that time, however, the restaurant closed after a year and a half.
I felt I was failing; my resources were running out and it was not easy to find work. I felt uncertain about whether I wanted to return to my country, but I already felt part of Honduras. That’s why I decided to venture to start my own business.
With all the knowledge and experience I gained throughout my 25-year career, I thought it would be a good idea to launch a culinary school. At that time, the city was going through a culinary boom: new restaurants with a variety of food styles were popping up everywhere. So, I said to myself: "It's now or never. I must boost my career, and how rewarding would it be to give others a similar opportunity while I do it."
To generate additional income and get my business off the ground, during my time off I would prepare food at home for my neighbours on my grill.
The best thing I have ever done as an entrepreneur and a migrant is to persevere. I learned this from my grandfather, who was also a migrant
I have managed to create two Mexican food restaurants in Honduras and with the support of my partner, Melina Ramirez, we also founded the San Pedro Culinary School, the Honduran School of Grillers, and the Pastry & Bakery School. I am happy to know that I can train chefs and cooks and provide them with the necessary tools to fulfill their dreams.
The best thing I have ever done as an entrepreneur and a migrant is to persevere. I learned this from my grandfather, who made the difficult decision to migrate to the United States in the 80s to support our family in Mexico.
I believe that migrants help develop whatever society we are in. Empathy, above all, is necessary to break down barriers and move forward with our dreams.