Jennifer Zavala is a Mixto Mexican chef who has shared her style of Mexican food in Philadelphia for the last 16 years of her 25 years in the hospitality industry. El Camino Real, Xochitl, and Amada are some of the restaurants she’s played a part in, contributing to the success of her own brick and mortar Juana Tamale on Passyunk Ave in South Philadelphia.
What makes the Philadelphia Latino community unique?
The thing that makes the Latino community in Philadelphia unique is that it is vast and ever growing, with plenty of room for many more to be seen. Allowing each business to share their unique talents, skills and perspectives through food, art, farming and activism, which are all interrelated, each playing a role in each other’s success. Where you find one, you find another, and that is a beautiful thing.
What more do you think could be done to support the Latino community in Philadelphia?
What could be done more for the Latino community here is more visibility and representation of how diverse it truly is. More visibility in city government positions, more visibility on school boards; more visibility working with the city, or the city working more with Latino organizations to allow a much more attainable process for small businesses to open, thrive, and succeed. If the playing field is leveled, the chances for success are greater.
If you were taking someone on a tour of your neighborhood, what would be your first stop?
The first place I would take them is to the tamalaras that sell tamales all over Philadelphia! South Philly, Kensington, and North Philly all have a thriving tamale scene and introduce the passion and culture of true entrepreneurship of Latinos. Then over to Iglesias Garden in Kensington, or Cantina La martina for a nice mezcal, and finish up in the south for an arepa to grab at Puyero, or a slice of cake at Amigos Bakery!
Do you have any local Latino heroes you look up to?
My sheroes and heroes are the everyday Latino people that wake up and work to provide for their families the same way I provide for mine, but they do it without any recognition. They are my heroes. It’s not easy to do, especially with the challenges that many latinos face here in this city, such as language barriers and cultural differences, but they do it. And that is something I’m forever inspired by, every day.
