After nearly 24 years of living in Evanston, food entrepreneur Rocio Mancera couldn’t find a restaurant serving the kind of authentic Mexican food that she grew up with. So, a year ago, she decided to join a group of entrepreneurs serving food at events through Evanston Latinos.
“It’s 100% Mexican food,” she said. “My recipes are from my mother and my grandmother.”
Two years ago, advocacy group Evanston Latinos launched La Cocina, a community kitchen pilot that uplifts the local community and Latino business owners by giving entrepreneurs more economic opportunities to sell traditional Latin American cuisine.
The kitchen had nine events in 2024 and temporarily operated out of a kitchen in Highland Park. Evanston Latinos Executive Director Rebeca Mendozá said the organization wanted to have a rental agreement by now, but that inflation has delayed its goals to sign a lease.
“We just ran into setbacks with our budget because of increases to rent from the time that we applied for the grant to when we got it and when we started looking,” she said. “It was a three-year difference, and that hurt our availability for rental spaces now.”
Mendozá said the group wants to find a location in Evanston but may end up in Skokie.
While operating out of Highland Park, La Cocina has participated in events like the Evanston Folk Festival, the Downtown Summer Sounds and Main Street Fall Fest.
For Mancera, catering Fall Fest last September with her business La Puerta de Oro del Bajío Celaya was a long-held dream.
“This is my highlight,” she said. “I met so many people. Everyone complimented my place after trying the gorditas.”
Elizabeth Jimenez is another participating entrepreneur. She owns Mi Sabor Latino, which specializes in tamales but also serves typical dishes like quesadillas and elotes.
She said she appreciates La Cocina as a way to get her business off the ground.
“A lot of people like my food,” she said. “In my dreams, I want to have my own business. I’m just building a trailer right now to sell food, but I think someday I could have a kitchen.”
Mendozá also mentioned that the cost of living in Evanston is getting more expensive, and Evanston Latinos recognized a need for economic development.
She said La Cocina is a way for talented Latino business owners to supplement their income and empower Evanston.
“It’s really like an incubator to foster entrepreneurship from people who enjoy cooking who have been selling stuff out of their homes and are able to sell it to the public,” Mendozá said. “And those who aspire to have just some additional income.”
In 2025, Mendozá said she’s excited about entrepreneurs serving food in both the Evanston and Skokie farmers’ markets.
Once they lease a physical kitchen, she said entrepreneurs will be able to cater online orders daily and potentially collaborate with Northwestern to serve lunch.
Above all, she said the true purpose of La Cocina is to empower local entrepreneurs.
“It’s not necessarily as much the physical space of the kitchen,” she said. “It is developing entrepreneurship, increasing family household incomes and fostering community.”
Email: claramartinez2028@u.northwestern.edu
Related Stories:
— Evanston Latinos to open community kitchen pilot in June
— Evanston Latinos to open Community Kitchen for local entrepreneurs
