Celebrating Latinx Heritage Month, Impossible-Style!
By Edith Villanueva, Consumer Engagement Manager and Co-Chair of the Los Imposibles Employee Resource Group at Impossible Foods
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Latinx Heritage Month at Impossible Foods
Impossible™ products are made for every dish and everyone, and we’re so excited to celebrate our Latinx community this month. We’re partnering with Latinx chefs, restaurants, and collectives to donate thousands of pounds of Impossible™ Burger to organizations serving Latinx populations and offering free Impossible Burger to top Latinx-owned taco spots in the US to promote nutritious, plant based options within Latinx communities.
For Impossible Foods, recognizing the influence that the Latinx community has in the United States (and around the world) is very important, and we want to make sure we honor and highlight some of their work. Their culture and community have positively impacted and enriched our neighborhoods, food, music, art, and history, and we will continue to celebrate the Latinx community year round!
¡Los Imposibles!, Impossible Foods’ Latinx Employee Resource Group
Our celebration this month is led by ¡Los Imposibles!, Impossible Foods’ Latinx Employee Resource Group. Their mission is to gather a community of like-minded individuals, celebrate diversity in the Latinx community, advocate for Impossible’s presence in Latinx communities, and promote Hispanic recruitment into all roles at Impossible. ¡Los Imposibles! has hosted company celebrations for Hispanic Heritage Month and Dia de los Muertos using Impossible meat in traditional Latin cuisine. For Hispanic Heritage Month 2020 (Sep 15 — Oct 15), ¡Los Imposibles! is teaming up with Latinx chefs and collectives nationwide to address food justice and food equity issues relevant to Latinx communities.
Cooking Impossible Burger in Latinx Cuisine
Can traditional Latinx meals be made plant-based? Of course they can! One of my goals is to help my community learn about healthy, sustainable, plant-based eating. I was born and raised in Northern California in a pretty traditional Mexican-American household, and I remember how important and emotional my grandma, Mami Raquel’s, cooking made me feel. Growing up, I didn’t really know that plant-based options could be incorporated into the traditional dishes I loved. When I was a kid, many of our local grocery stores didn’t carry many plant-based products or meat and dairy alternatives, which continues to be a pain point in our community today. Having access to resources and education are crucial in order to showcase and teach our communities how they can incorporate plant-based eating into their everyday lives.
Food is an emotional experience and is tied to many amazing memories of my family and culture. It was always something I looked forward to at our family get-togethers, birthdays, and holidays. I grew up eating delicious meals that my mom and dad cooked for me and my three sisters, they made us home-cooked meals almost every night (something I now appreciate knowing how much effort and time that takes!). If you’re familiar with traditional Latinx cuisine, you know there are very few dishes that are completely plant-based — most of them include some form of meat and/or dairy, but I love to replicate my family’s traditional recipes with plant-based ingredients. My favorite recipe is Impossible™ Albondigas, which incorporates yummy vegetables, spices, and is easily made plant-based by swapping out a few ingredients! I love albondigas because they make me feel nostalgic about summer days in California spent in my neighborhood playing sports, spending time with friends and family and enjoying a nice bowl of my mom’s albondigas for lunch or dinner. I don’t expect anyone to give up their traditional family recipes or sacrifice the tastes that they love, but I encourage everyone to be open to options when it comes to more sustainable eating and using ingredients with a lot less of an environmental impact.
I’m very excited to celebrate this month with my team at Impossible Foods and my Latinx community around the world. With the help of many talented Latinx chefs, restaurants, and organizations around the U.S, we hope to see families and communities continue to experiment with our products and other meat and dairy alternatives to make their traditional and delicious enchiladas, picadillo, empanadas, Street Tacos, Albondigas, Quesadillas, and more. See below for two recipes from Impossible: The Cookbook for Chiles Rellenos and Lomo Saltado.
¡Buen provecho!
Some of our Amazing Latinx Restaurant Partners
Chicas Tacos Los Angeles, California
Chicas Tacos was born in the streets of Los Angeles in 2016 while searching for fresh, healthy versions of the Southern California street tacos we grew up with and love so much. Founded by Chef Eduardo Ruiz, Chicas has remained committed to its core promise of serving a better taco. They’re currently serving an Impossible™ Taco with iceberg lettuce, radish, and citrus vinaigrette on crispy corn tortilla shell.
Healthy Substance Chicago, IL
Healthy Substance’s story begins in the place where their founder, Patricia Gonzalez, grew up — Guadalajara, Mexico! During her childhood, she stayed at home and helped her mother make meals for the rest of her family. Ever since then, she has always learned new recipes and looked for new ways to make her food even better! For decades she continued to grow and develop her art until she moved to Chicago, IL in 2004. She’s currently serving an Impossible™ Carne Asada Burrito and Taco and Impossible™ Gordita.
Javis’s Cooking Oakland, CA
Javier Sandes is from Buenos Aires, Argentina and got his start in cooking at a young age when he was expected to help his mother prepare meals for his large, immediate family as well as 100+ members of his extended family and neighbors. In 2009, he founded a successful mobile food truck, Primo’s Parrilla, the first ever Argentine food truck. Primo’s Parrilla quickly grew serving the masses with slow grilled, Argentine asado and an “empanada of the day” his customers knew to arrive early for. He’s currently serving the Empanada Vegana, made with Impossible Burger, mushrooms, yellow onions, green olives, and a blend of spices.
Millies Cuban Cafe Brooklyn, NY
Millie’s Cuban Cafe is the namesake of Albert and Danny Teran’s mother, who is also featured in the brand’s logo. Danny began his culinary career alongside his brother, Co-Founder and Executive Chef, Albert Teran, with Cuban food trucks Bongo Brothers and Miami Food Machine before making their way into brick and mortar restaurants. Seeking to share some of the Teran family’s signature recipes, Danny and Albert partnered with Co-Founders Pir Granoff and Matt Arnold to launch the Millie’s Cuban Cafe brand and open the first permanent location. They’re currently serving Impossible™ Picadillo, and an Impossible Picadillo “Sloppy Joe.”
Lolas Mexican Cuisine Long Beach, CA
Established in 2007, Lola’s has the perfect blend of traditional and new contemporary recipes and dishes. Their mission is for our guests to enjoy food the way they have come to know it and love it… right from Mom’s kitchen. You’re in for the ultimate taste of Mexico at Lola’s! They’re currently serving Impossible™ Enchiladas and Impossible Tacos.
Torti Taco Battle Creek, MI
Torti Taco offers authentic Mexican food that is made from scratch using fresh veggies, meats, and homemade salsas. All the dishes at Torti Taco are created from special family recipes and range from mild to hot. Javier Fortoso is the owner and operator of Torti Taco, and he and his family are proud to bring a blending of Cuernavaca, Mexico and San Diego, California to Michigan. They’re currently serving an Impossible Taco on a corn tortilla with cilantro, onion, lettuce, and tomatoes.
Veganos Kitchen Las Vegas, NV
Veganos kitchen serves authentic Vegan Mexican Food and American Food in their hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada. They’re currently serving an Impossible™ Pizza, Impossible™ Burrito, Impossible™ Fries, Impossible™ Nachos, Impossible Tacos, and an Impossible Burger.
Join in the Fun!
Thanks for reading more about our incredible Impossible Latinx community. Follow the celebration all month on our social channels: Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
