Food is often one of the strongest connections people have to their culture, family traditions, and personal identity. During Hispanic Heritage Month, members of our Parkhurst team are celebrating the significance of food within Hispanic communities by sharing family recipes and favorite cultural dishes with students and guests. From college campuses to corporate cafés, cultural traditions are coming to life in the form of meaningful dining experiences rooted in authenticity and pride.
Bringing Traditions to Life Through Food
To celebrate the start of Hispanic Heritage Month at Hanover College, Sous Chef Cecilia Castillo honored her Venezuelan heritage by making her empanadas. She explained, “It is a time to share and talk about important issues…It is a time to feel good and happy…The ingredients of Hispanic food, especially in my country, Venezuela, show the union of different traditions by different immigrants and cultures.” She also added, “I can express through food my passion for cooking and allow guests to experience and enjoy different flavors.”
Chef Ruben Jimenez, from Lake Forest College, shared, “Hispanic culture is really about coming together as a family, especially around the table…I am from Michoacán, Mexico, and every Sunday after church, my family and I would sit down for lunch to eat carnitas and Chicharrón.” He added, “Being able to share a part of my heritage with our students means a lot to me. I enjoy being able to introduce them to new dishes and flavors that may be unfamiliar.”
In addition to sharing cultural foods from family meals with students in the dining room, Chef Ruben also plans to co-host a Chef’s Table with his brother, Chef Emiliano, later in October. This event will provide an interactive opportunity for the chefs to showcase some of their favorite recipes, share those dishes with students and guests, and receive feedback from the audience.
Paul Figueroa, Sous Chef at one of our corporate locations, described his family’s recipe for Mole Poblano. “We start by roasting and then blending a rich mix of dried chilies, seeds, nuts, spices, and a touch of Mexican chocolate. Mole is a favorite dish in our big events and a very important tradition.” Figueroa continued, “To cook and prepare food that reflects my heritage means to bringing something different to their table. Something full of flavor that reflects all the hard work that it takes to put out an incredible meal. It has always been important to me to share my recipes with people from different cultures, so hopefully they can enjoy the food from my culture as much as I do. I am always proud to share the food of my Mexican heritage with people from all around the world.”
By empowering our chefs and culinarians to share their personal recipes and cultural traditions, we create authentic dining experiences that celebrate the diverse backgrounds of our team members and guests.
Creating a Greater Connection
Great food is about more than nourishment. It represents a deeper connection, carrying memories, traditions, and personal stories from one generation to the next. By sharing this connection across our communities, we honor diverse backgrounds, we create authentic dining experiences, and we foster cultural appreciation and belonging.
Follow us on social media and learn more about how teams across the Parkhurst footprint are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and creating cultural connections by sharing authentic dishes and family recipes.
