Food - Gathering Around the Table

This is the second interview in our third season of our podcast series, created in partnership with DeKalb High School advanced Spanish students. These talented students worked with the DeKalb County History Center to contact business owners, create questions, and conducting the interviews in Spanish. Each group focused on an owner of a Mexican restaurant to compliment the History Center's exhibit "Food: Gathering Around the Table." While the interview is in Spanish, below is an English translation.

A special thank you to the students for all of their work, their teachers - Claudia Zempoalteca Amador and Monica Luna, project coordinator Carolina Velandia Hernandez, and District 428. 

This project was made possible by generous grants from Illinois Humanities and Healing Illinois. 

This interview is with Olivia Agustin owner of DeKalb's La Salsa restaurant.  

Olivia Agustin- La Salsa Restaurant

Carlos  00:00

Hello, my name is Carlos Argüelles Amador. Today, I am here  to interview the owner of La Salsa restaurant. I'm from DeKalb, Illinois at DeKalb High School, and today I'm meeting, with 

Olivia Agustin  00:17

My name is Olivia Agustín.

Carlos  00:19

Can you tell us how to spell your full name?

Olivia Agustin  00:27

O L I V I A  A G U S T I N  

Carlos  00:34

I want to start asking you questions about your history and how you started your business. To begin with, can you tell me where you are from?

Olivia Agustin  00:51

We are from Veracruz, Mexico.

Carlos  00:54

OK, there are many, many people from Veracruz, right, yes?  A lot of people? How did your business start?

Olivia Agustin  01:03

We started in 2006 thanks to some friends of mine who helped us.

Carlos  01:14

Ok, so they've been in this [restaurant] business for a long time. 

Olivia Agustin  01:19

Yes, 

Carlos 01:20

What led you to open this business?

Olivia Agustin  01:26

Well, more than anything, they inspired us to start that business. We like to serve people.

Carlos  01:42

How long have you been in business?

Olivia Agustin  01:53

From 2006 until now -  about 20 years plus

Carlos  02:01

Where was your first location?

Olivia Agustin  02:03

My first location? Well, it's a bit of a story because this business started here in this place where we are now. It was here for about three, three or four years. Then, we went to another location where we had a store and a restaurant - that's where it all started. And we were there for 16 years, 17, but then it was knocked it down. So, we returned to the place where the business started.

Carlos  02:39

Oh, and why did you choose that location?

Olivia Agustin  02:45

The second one? Well, we decided where there were more Latinos so that the store, the restaurant would be closer, and it would be closer for the Latinos, for the Mexican store and the restaurant.

Carlos  03:01

And for people wondering, where are you located now?

Olivia Agustin  03:08

We are in front of NIU University and the address is 900 B Lucinda.

Carlos  03:18

Do you prepare food for special events - parties, concerts?

Olivia Agustin  03:31

Yes, there are occasions when people come and order food for the holidays. Or they have their small gatherings here for students.

Carlos  03:46

Well, moving on to the food,  please tell us what do you offer in your restaurant, tell us about your menu?

Olivia Agustin  03:56

Well, people like everything, they like the mole, the ribs in dried chile, tamales, chiles, stuffings, and the students come for the tacos, tortas, burritos.

Carlos  04:15

So you have a lot of variety,  a little bit of everything. What are your best-selling dishes, the ones that people love the most?

Olivia Agustin  04:25

The mole is very popular. The ribs. So the chile, piquín, the rib in morita chile, the stuffed chiles are also very popular, the tamales are also very popular.

Carlos  04:50

Yes, in your opinion, what is your specialty? What is your best dish?

Olivia Agustin  05:07

What will it be? They are all delicious. Yes, because the people of Veracruz know the rib in chile morita is very popular and the mole are two strong dishes that people know and like.

Carlos  05:43

Do you have special dishes because I've heard that there are certain days that you  have like a special dis, a chicken broth or pozole or something like that?

Olivia Agustin  05:58

Yes, on weekends we often have carnitas. What else will it be, people like tamales very much, they like tamales.

Carlos  06:16

On the subject of customers, what kind of customers come to your restaurant? Are they only Hispanic? Are they American?

Olivia Agustin  06:26

We have everything, everything, a little bit of everything.

Carlos 06:29

So it does catch everyone’s attention. And what do you like about your customer?

Olivia Agustin  06:48

Well, more than anything we like them to come and feel like family, that they arrive and we all treat them the same, like they feel they are at home.

Carlos  07:05

Have you had any kind of challenges in their restaurant?

Olivia Agustin  07:17

Well, the basics, when a person doesn't like something, we solve it and but it's something for us, it's normal.

Carlos  07:32

It's not something common?

Olivia Agustin  07:35

No, no

Carlos   07:39

That's good. In the time of Covid? What did you do? How did you adapt to that?

Olivia Agustin  07:47

Well, we made people feel confident in the aspect that you know that the tables had to be set apart and that the customer felt good.

Carlos  08:05

Do you have any plans in the future? Thinking of adding as technology? You see, you see that at McDonald's they have screens where they can choose their order. do you plan to do something similar in the future?

Olivia Agustin  08:22

Fo now we like the system we have. There are times when we go to places and we don't know so much about technology. I want people to feel comfortable and to feel good. For me it is the most important thing that people feel good,  and that we can help them.

Carlos  08:47

So, you want to leave it like that?

Olivia Agustin  08:53

Yes, more family oriented 

Carlos  08:54

More family oriented, ok. Would you like to add on to your businesses e.g. a store, a butcher shop,

Olivia Agustin  09:04

Well, at the moment we like the restaurant. We like what we do and you know that when you have only one business you can serve it well. And there are times when you have several businesses, sometimes you can’t  pay attention to all of them.

Carlos  09:24

Do you want to have more branches, for example more than more restaurants like this, for example, one in Cortland, or in Aurora?

Olivia Agustin  09:39

If the moment and the occasion and the opportunity were to lend itself, we would gladly do it.

Carlos  09:46

It would be nice not to have more. Is there anything you want to change about your restaurant? 

Olivia Agustin  10:01

I think I feel good and when customers come, they feel like family, they feel good. And for me it is the most important thing that they feel good with us. 

Carlos 10:17

So the customers,

Olivia   10:22

Many people come and we don't just act like ok, you are a customer and I attend you, and you eat. Sometimes you have conversations, and you know the people so people think that is why they also follow us because they feel like family.

Carlos 10:44

Yes, it is important that they feel welcome. Is there something else you want to share about your restaurant? Anything about your experience in DeKalb something you want to add?

Olivia Agustin  11:06

First of all, I thank the customers and the Hispanic community and all from different places who have supported us. Thanks to them we are here to serve them.

Carols  11:25

In the future. What would be your dreams? 

Olivia Agustin  11:38

Well, keep adding more things on the menu for people. There are times when people tell us we would like them to make other others such as stews, or can we make them this one thing. [Maybe] in the future we are going add different things [to the menu]

Carlos  12:02

 Well, I think that with this we end the interview. Well, Mrs. Olivia, thank you very much for giving us your time to let us come to your restaurant.

Olivia Agustin  12:15

Thank you very much to you and the teacher and thank you for giving me the opportunity and it is the first time I did something like this. I did it because I want you to be something, something that move students move forward and like you. And this is the first time you are doing it and you are doing it well! 

Olivia Agustin  12:45

Well, thank you very much and thank you very much, thank you very much

Carlos  12:57

Ok, let's ask an additional question: your best-selling dish is mole. Can you tell us what that mole has, why they are sold and what is their process?

Olivia Agustin  13:09

The best-selling dish is mole. People like it because it is a long process, it has to be prepared, it has three types of chiles and it has a lot of seasonings. What else can I tell you - there are many spices that have to be processed. For that seasoning, yes. So to make to make the mole has it takes time, not just to do it.  It is a process that has to be carefully done with all the things because if you do things quickly they can burn or the mole can be bitter. The process can last up to one day or two days to make. To do things all calmly so that it comes out delicious

Carlos 14:21

Thank you very much

Olivia Agustin  14:22

 Thank to you.

This conversation is the third in our series of conversations connected to the DeKalb County History Center's exhibit "Food: Gathering Around the Table" and DeKalb High School Spanish students. 

Like in the first interview, the student worked with the DeKalb County History Center to contact business owner, create questions, and conducting the interviews in Spanish. While the interview is in Spanish, below is an English translation of an interview with the owner of DeKalb's Burritoville restaurant. 

A special thank you to the students for all of their work, their teachers - Claudia Zempoalteca Amador and Monica Luna, project coordinator Carolina Velandia Hernandez, and District 428. 

This project was made possible by generous grants from Illinois Humanities and Healing Illinois. 

English Transcription: 

Rodolfo Galvan -Burritoville

Student

Good morning Rodolfo. First of all, first of all, thank you very much for welcoming us and giving us this space of yours. This is an honor to talk with you and since your career in DeKalb is a great example of hard work. I am very interested in knowing your story and how you managed to build your business here in DeKalb County.

First of all, please spell your name.

Rodolfo Galvan

My name is Rodolfo Galván with R O D O L F O Galván G A L V A N ok my full name

Student

Thank you. Very much pleasure meeting you.

I would like to know a little bit of your personal history, getting to know you a little more. Where are you originally from?

Rodolfo Galvan

I was born in Guadalajara, Mexico

Student 01:21

What is it like there?

Rodolfo Galvan

Well, Guadalajara is very cheerful, very big, a lot of mariachi, a lot of tequila- all of this is the great pride  in Guadalajara. 

Student 

When looking back, what memories do you have of your childhood during your time in Mexico and how has that influenced or inspired you to open your business that you have today?

Rodolfo Galvan 

Well, look, the memories there are very, very marked because my parents ran a restaurant their whole life. The same thing I do now. They had their taco stands in Mexico and were very hardworking people because they didn't just have one taco stand, they had up to three taco stands -  my mom worked at one, brother worked at another one, and the third one had a worker because he had a very good style of making their tacos. I can remember that [my parents] picked me up from school, and they told me to help them peel tomatillos and chop onions. But I could only do a little bit because I was 10. 

Student

You know I love hearing those kinds of stories about starting a business, especially when your parents have taught you about that business, to be successful, you need to work hard.

Rodolfo Galvan

Well, it is the only way to get ahead [by] working [hard].

Student

Of course. And let's talk about your arrival here. Why did you or your family choose to live here in DeKalb or DeKalb County? And how has your experience been in all this time living here?

Rodolfo Galvan

I came here to the United States first, [but] let me start step by step. I have some uncles there in Chicago who turned 50 years old with their restaurants  - unfortunately they have already died.

But since I remember, when I was 13 years old, one uncle had had a restaurant. He began to invite nephews, nephews, nephews, and relatives who wanted to come to the United States. My brother who was the first, the eldest, came here to the United States to work with him.

And after three, four years, I remember that they invited me on a trip [when they came back] to Mexico. They told me, you know what? Do you want to go? I was 13, 14 years old, I told him it would be fine because my brother is already there and he is very happy. So, it was that I decided to go.

I arrived first in Chicago. I started working there for about five to six years. When I was 20, 21 years old, that's when I decided to come to DeKalb. But not just me, [I came with] my wife, because I also got married very young, I got married 17, my wife was 16. My wife was the one who encouraged me - let's open a business.

We are going to open a business and she was the one that motivated me the most to open a business - my wife, the relatives, the whole [family]. So I come from a pure family of restaurant [owners], and thanks to my wife, someone offered us this restaurant here in DeKalb. This restaurant was for sale.  I didn't have enough money. But I told my uncle - here is a business, and he goes with us to see it. He quickly said Yes. We came and that [opportunity] is why we came to DeKalb

Student

 You can say that your wife came up with the idea of opening that business.

Rodolfo Galvan

Yes,

Student

How beautiful.

Rodolfo Galvan

At the age of 16!  Note that this is a reason for all of you,  the youth, who from now on have a goal -  what it is that you want to do. Because I tell you, my wife at 16 years old was the one wo told me we are going to do it.  We are going to do it.

Student

Wow -  how fascinating.

Rodolfo Galvan

It is interesting because I tell you I was very young, but not all young people think that way. I wish they thought about it. We were motivated and focused on what we wanted to do, [and the youth] should start thinking that way.

Student 

And I also want to know how and what were some of the difficulties you faced when you were starting your business? Since you have explained to me that you struggled a little with money, but your family helped.

Rodolfo Galvan 

Well, in reality the only thing that was hard here was that I only knew a little English. When I arrived in the United States one of my uncles told me “To go to school, go to school, I will pay you to go to school. I will help you with money so that you can study.” But I didn't want to study.

I said no, I came to work, I came to work and it was one of the biggest mistakes - especially coming here to DeKalb because there were no Mexicans. I arrived in 1991. For example, to start opening the business [I had to] make calls to gas companies, electricity. All that had to be done by people I knew. [I asked] please help me make some calls so I can get permits with the city, all that.

English was where I struggled. My wife and I struggled because we never wanted to study  - you are born here, right?  People who come and go from abroad if they start to study, that is a lot of help. We struggled with English - I brought the experience. I had already worked. Blessed by God, as soon as the business was opened we began to work and sell with very good sales and well.

[Another struggle was with] the sleepless ones, the children.  We had a child and at that time [we started the business] I did not know my wife was pregnant with another. In about three years, we already had three children. [It was hard] with the [small] children, but a sacrifice can be made and with that you get ahead, of course.

Student 

And your kids also work in restaurants

Rodolfo Galvan

Ah, I have two guys who help me a lot. One did not want to work with me. He did not want it because it was a little difficult, a lot of stress. So since he was a child he told me no, I'm not going to work with you. I don't like it. But the second, one of us is in charge of the kitchen here, and the oldest one has a food truck. He has his own route, his own business and there we are between the two of us. But they are both hard workers.

Student 1 

And you can say that your family already has the roots of working in a food business like this one?

Rodolfo Galvan 

Ok yes, because they were born there in the restaurant. I can tell you my parents, my grandparents, all that. Because they have been restaurant owners all the time - all the time [that is what the family did]. Now the grandchildren are missing. I have a grandson here in high school, and I tell him to come to work, come to work. He is 14 years old,  but little by little we are pulling him in so that one day he will be my right arm.

Student 

Of course. And with all your experience with the business and with your family, with working in Chicago and then moving around at Dekalb what did you learn the most from all your experiences?

Rodolfo Galvan 

Well, we learned, because apart from the business that I was here, I had three more businesses that were restaurants as well. There was another one here at DeKalb that I sold. I had another restaurant in Rochelle.  I had another restaurant in McHenry. The experience you learn is that sometimes people do not know how to [show] appreciation.  Sometimes the experience is that partners do not comply, they are not so honest.

So now, the experience that I have gained is that sometimes you should not trust just anyone, and apart from that I also had a bad streak when I was very young. I began to take money very young with in the business - wasting money. That does not leave anything good.

So now for all the youth, we have to tell them that they have to behave as well as they can. We have to work hard and save for the future, because time is gone, money is gone. So, I tell young people to focus well on what they want to do and put a lot of effort into it. To take care of their money and take care of their family.

Student 

Of course, I mean, you can say that there were failures, many challenges along the way, but that didn't stop you from moving forward with your businesses, you learned from them and you moved on to be even more successful.

Rodolfo Galvan 

Well, I don't classify it as a failure because I didn't lose money. It was just very difficult for me to come and go, to come and go. That's why I kind of tell you about the partners. I took managers. Those in charge do not work as they should. Sometimes they are not so honest. So that's why I decided to sell the business. No, I didn't close the businesses when they say “Oh, well I can't anymore.” The business is not going well because there was good food, there just weren't enough tickets, so it doesn't qualify as a failure. You have to learn more,  know who to trust, and know what you're going to do. Now with my family, it's already different.

Student

Sure, there's another question that you've more or less already answered, but what has been the biggest challenge you've faced and how did you overcome it?

Rodolfo Galvan

Challenge, notice that there have been no real challenges because we are blessed by God in the 35 years that I have been here. I feel that the business has never gone backwards. When I thought that the world was closing for me, it was when the pandemic came. We had to close the businesses. Then I thought, I should open a Drive True in the business. I opened the window, a window that I have over here and blessed be God.  I announced that we had windows, we were closed inside, but the DriveTrue was going to work. Blessed God it worked because every day there were lines, lines of cars, lines of cars. I tell you that's when I felt like  “What am I going to do?”  with the business closed, but it worked. How did I do it? Well, thinking about opening other doors, some are closed, you have to open the others.

Student 

I love that, yes, this one, but in time, in the time of pandemic, when the disease is gone, did everything return to how it was before or have some things changed?

Rodolfo Galvan 

Many people can think differently. But for me, since the pandemic, you see that the City [of DeKalb] helped me with money.  The next year my accountant tells me that you have to reapply. I think they are giving more aid for this year. I applied, and the City realized that in that time of the pandemic I sold more than in regular times.

Student

 Wow!

Rodolfo Galvan

I sold more! Blessed be to God. No, we were not all lucky. We sold more and from there it gave me the opportunity to, all the time we were closed, to remodel my entire business. I don't know how any of it happened - we completely remodeled everything from tables, equipment, and the design. Now, I feel that my business is at a very, very, very competitive level, very, very, good, very blessed by God.

First of all, God - we are in the area, here on this side. We are not in the center, we are not on a large avenue, but the people continue to follow, they continue to support us. Blessed God

Student 

For those who do not know yet, where are you located and what additional services do you offer the community?

Rodolfo Galvan

Oh well the address is 1026 Hillcrest. Close to the high school and we have a food truck business. We have events for parties, we have a little place there for when people want to celebrate their birthdays, there is room for up to 50 people and that is what we are offering right now. We also special events because we have a liquor license.

Student

If  young people  want to start a new business - What message can you give them to help them to motivate themselves to open their businesses or sell this food?

Rodolfo Galvan

Well, the main thing I say is that if someone wants to do a business, they have to like cooking. If they like cooking, they can make the goal very clear. tThey have to take a little experience from anywhere, from any type of food they like. If you like Mexican food, then at least you have to start working a little bit in a Mexican restaurant, you like Chinese food, then go to a Chinese restaurant. Right? Go learn and have will power - the one who wants can.

The restaurant is not easy at all. Know that you are going to have to sacrifice a few years and it's not just a few hours just because being in a restaurant, you have to sacrifice  hours, but where there is a will there is power, whoever wants can do it.

If one day someone wants to learn about something about a restaurant,  how to open a restaurant, their own business, and I would gladly teach them - some ideas that I have, some things that I have done and I would gladly do to help any guy who wants to start a business.

Student

Throughout this interview you have advised us a lot -  you have given us very nice advice  - not everything is easy in life, right?  Are most things hard, especially when you want to open a business?

Rodolfo Galvan

Well, it is not hard, it is a sacrifice. It is a sacrifice because I tell you that where there is a will, there is a way. There are many facilities here in the United States, there are many loans, there is a lot of ease. Here the government in the United States helps a lot. We have to be aware,  - it is like the saying a water a flower daily, pouring water so that there are fruits.

Student 

Yes, and from your personal perspective, how do you define success for your business, since you have come a long way, especially during the time of pandemic?

Rodolfo Galvan

Ah, I've been so motivated that I'm even thinking about opening another business.

Student

Seriously! Where do you plan to open this business?

Rodolfo Galvan

Ah, I was thinking about DeKalb as well, but I've been looking at other cities around here. I don't know, but it's going to be somewhere else. But yes we're still motivated. My wife is very motivated, since we don't have small children right now, let's try to open another business out there. That's why I tell you that we are very motivated, very happy, grateful to all the people here DeKlab, the people of Rochelle, and from Sycamore, follow us a lot and that is what inspires us the most.

Student 

How beautiful. What strategies do you use to motivate your work team and how do you make sure you always maintain a good relationship with your customers and your workers?

Rodolfo Galvan

To motivate the guys working  - because you always have to arrive with a good attitude, which is the main thing, to treat them well, to motivate them with respect, mainly to all the workers give them their respect, their encouragement, arrive with a good attitude, mainly that is from the workers and with the customers,  because it is to greet them, go to talk, that's what I do.

My wife suddenly tells me that you stay out there for a long time talking about anything, but that's what I love to go and see -  Has everything gone well once the food they like arrives. Ah, look, I brought you a dessert, I brought you something different. Be with a good attitude with the customers, and know that without customers we are nothing. Really everything you do, do it with your heart to with your customers, with your workers and with a good attitude. If I tell you, if you love what you do, everything will turn out well for you.

Student 

I love your answer, because you are talking to your customers and, I imagine that you can't talk to them for a very long time, but it's like having them as friends and always being grateful to your customers, especially because they have also helped you. And I've tried your food and their food is very delicious!

Rodolfo Galvan

Thank you thank you

Student 

 Especially your tacos al pastor.

Rodolfo Galvan

Thank you, thank you. Notice that when a client arrives that I already know, I go and greet him. But if a client arrives that I haven't seen, maybe first time I'll go and introduce myself. What do you do, oh you know that since my name is Rodolfo, I introduce myself in what I can help. I try to offer him more of what we have and from there I introduce myself and from there they leave happy, right? Because they are not acquaintances, I say, although I don't know them. I meet and try to talk to them and introduce myself to them.

Student

Yes, that's very, very nice. Well Rodolfo, thank you very much for opening up to me and sharing your story here in this interview. It was a pleasure to get to know the effort behind your business and it is very inspiring, this not only for my school project, but for me, for me personally and for the young people who are going to listen to this interview and for the people who want to start the business this and again. Thank you very much for supporting this DeKalb journey and business especially to support my education with your time and your experience and much success in everything that comes your way.

Rodolfo Galvan

Well, thank you very much, I am very grateful that you have counted on me, that you have thought of me, or of my business.  I am grateful to all of you. I have been a little grateful when the teachers go there, because I try to give them the best service, but I am very grateful to all of you here, with the students and teachers.

It was just a pleasure to be here with you. You put in the effort and may God bless you and give you a lot of strength to move forward, thank you very much, much intelligence.

Student

Thank you very much

Rodolfo Galvan

Thanks to you, a pleasure, a pleasure.

Welcome to the Food: Gathering Around the Table podcast.

This is the first interview in our third season of our podcast series, and it is a little different as it was created in partnership with DeKalb High School advanced Spanish students. These talented students worked with the DeKalb County History Center to contact business owners, create questions, and conducting the interviews in Spanish. Each group focused on an owner of a Mexican restaurant to compliment the History Center's exhibit "Food: Gathering Around the Table." While the interview is in Spanish, below is an English translation.

A special thank you to the students for all of their work, their teachers - Claudia Zempoalteca Amador and Monica Luna, project coordinator Carolina Velandia Hernandez, and District 428. 

This project was made possible by generous grants from Illinois Humanities and Healing Illinois. 

This interview is with Jose Afatio Heredia, owner of Sycamore's Buffalo Grill. 

Students  00:00

Hi we are Ninetta, Anjel, Liam, and Diana and we are part of the ninth grade of DeKalb High School. We are part of this project to put together a podcast with community leader for the DeKalb County History Cente.

With whom we have the pleasure of speaking today?

Jose Afatio Heredia  00:21

José Afatio Heredia.

Students  00:22

What is your age and what part of Mexico do you come from? 

Jose Afatio Heredia 00  :29

I am 52 years old and I come from the state of Guerrero.

Students  00:34

How long have you been living in DeKalb?

Jose Afatio Heredia  00:37

Twenty years

Students  00:53

What does Mexican culture mean to you and how do you reflect it in your business?

Jose Afatio Heredia 01  :01

Well, it means a lot to me because it is a very traditional culture, to be seen in another country, I reflect [the culture by] listening to very Mexican music, and the special food I made it in a very Mexican style.

Students  01:29

What is the name of your restaurant and what is the story behind the name of the restaurant?

Jose Afatio Heredia 01  :34

The restaurant is called Buffalo Grill because I am from a very small place on a ranch. When I started going to the city the name occurred to me because I thought I would always sell just meat, and especially buffalo.

Students  02:34

Tell us about your restaurant, origins and main idea.

Jose Afatio Heredia 02  :53

The restaurant is seven years old.

Students  03:11

Tell us what year the restaurant was established. Were there any special events in that year that prompted you to create the restaurant?

Jose Afatio Heredia 03  :19

No, there were none. No special events. The restaurant was established in 2019.

Students  03:31

What was your motivation for opening a restaurant?

Jose Afatio Heredia 03  :35

It was my motivation because the whole American community likes Mexican food a lot and I worked for a long time on different food, but I came up with the idea of doing something more Mexican for myself.

Students  03:53

What challenges have you had to go through and how did you overcome it?

Jose Afatio Heredia 04  :01

Well, challenges almost never, but not so much that we cannot overcome them.

Students  04:16

How does your restaurant and recipes help maintain the Latino heritage at Sycamore?

Jose Afatio Heredia 04  :23

Well, being vigorous in all the food, always do the same, and it will come out perfect - just as we started from the beginning.

Students  04:34

What kind of food and flavors are typical of your restaurant?

Jose Afatio Heredia 04  :39

Well, this is about the flavors, the only thing is garlic, cumin and cloves are the most important, the basic of the whole meal recipe.

Students  05:05

Does your restaurant have some recipes from a particular place in Mexico?

Jose Afatio Heredia 05  :14

Well, yes, only the recipes of what is in Guerrero, those I learned the most with my mom, may she rest in peace.

Students  05:26

Ok, what gave you the idea of having this type of food on your menu?

Jose Afatio Heredia 05  :32

I went and ate. I perfected the food and it tasted better. Then I said, well, I think I can do this, maybe not so better, but more Mexican.

Students  05:57

What are your favorite dishes from your restaurant?

Jose Afatio Heredia 06  :04

Oh, the favorites are this one like the “alambre” or steak roast quesadillas, al pastor

Students  06:20

That sounds rich. And what's your best-selling dish?

Jose Afatio Heredia  06:25

It is the “Alambre” and the dinners plates that come with the three tacos with rice and beans that sells the most.

Students  06:34

Oh, and what is the recipe for the dish?

Jose Afatio Heredia 06  :39

Well, it is none. It's like I said at the beginning, it's the basics, it's just garlic, cumin and onion are the most basic of all the dishes.

Students  06:54

What region of Mexico is the recipe from?

Jose Afatio Heredia 06  :57

I am east of the Calentana region south of Mexico, south of the Pacific.

Students  07:09

Does your restaurant continue from generation to generation?

Jose Afatio Heredia 07  :14

Well, I would like it too, but I don't know. My daughters bring different ideas. If they like, I would like the restaurant to continue.

Students  07:31

Does your family work in the restaurant?

Jose Afatio Heredia 07  :36

Yes, usually all of them, the whole family is the one who works here the most. We work on site.

Students  07:46

Do you plan to collaborate with other restaurants nearby?

Jose Afatio Heredia 07  :51

Well, I don't know if this is necessary, but I think that I could do it.

Students  08:00

What plans do you have for the future of your restaurant?

Jose Afatio Heredia 08  :06

Well, we don't have many plans because now I'm older. I think that this is as far as I will go. Then, maybe one of my daughters would like to continue.

Students  08:31

What do you enjoy most about having your restaurant?

Jose Afatio Heredia 08  :38

Well, that I'm alone, I don't depend on anyone. I depend on myself and I don't have any pressure  - [there is pressure] in all places, no, but this one is a little different because you no longer have pressure from some boss or being scolded because you don't do things well. And so it's a little different. And that's what I enjoy the most. And besides, I work with the whole family. I mean, with my daughters they are all here.

Students  09:18

What was something that impacted you with the new culture in the United States? Tell us about your experience as a migrant.

Jose Afatio Heredia 09  :27

Well, the first thing, that when I arrived here was what struck me the most, that it is a country or a culture where they do give you the opportunity to be taught how to do things if you don't know how to do them. They give you the opportunity to learn. And that's what also motivated me and impacted me. In Mexico you speak your language, but they don't give you the opportunity like they do here.

Students  09:58

What was the most difficult thing that you had to adapt to in this country?

Jose Afatio Heredia 10:05 AM

Well, first of all, the language. I didn't know it. I had to work to survive and I started to earn very little.

Students  10:31

What has the response been in Sycamore and DeKalb community regarding your restaurant?

Jose Afatio Heredia 10:32 AM

Well, it has been very good. Yes, because many tell me that the food is very good. They tell me to continue the same way I started. They also said that I should don't worry when something goes wrong, that we all have mistakes. Some of us make some mistakes and they don't get angry, they don't get upset. They say no, don't worry and that's it. And that's what I do like.

Students  11:13

How did the pandemic impact your restaurant?

Jose Afatio Heredia 11:17 AM

Well, it did impact me, but not negatively. Rather, it was positive for me because in times of pandemic was when we saw an increase in business. The place is small and it was [set up for] take away. Everyone just arrived and then they were leaving. Thank God, it was than we when we were busy.

Students  11:44

What was your most difficult challenge during the pandemic?

Jose Afatio Heredia 11:52 AM

I really didn't have any difficulties. [Things] didn't go so badly. Things went a little better, but the challenge was that I did what I wanted to do.

Students  12:14

What was your post-pandemic experience like and the reception of the public in recent years?

Jose Afatio Heredia 12:22 PM

Well, it was good because [people] continue to treat us the same -  we do not see any indifference or difference. The public remains the same, they treat us the same. We grow a little more.

Students  12:56

Well, thank you for talking to us.

Jose Afatio Heredia 12:59 PM

Thank you and to all those who are here to have asked these questions. They are a little difficult to answer, but here we are.

This conversation is Part 2 of our discussion about Pasture Grazed Farm. Dan Sanderson shares his perspective of regenerative of farming, the science behind the soil for regenerative farming, the need for consumers to understand this approach for food and farming. 

This is a two-part conversation about regenerative agriculture. The discussion starts with Rosie Sanderson Trump who explains regenerative farming, and how that philosophy is applied to the family farm, Pasture Grazed, in Clare, Illinois. She provides the foundation and then in part two, we talk with Dan Sanderson. He owns Pasture Grazed and has spent over 50 years farming, learning, and embracing the challenges of agriculture. 

For a deeper dive into this story, you can read the book "Grounded: One Farmer's Journey to Regenerative Agriculture" by Daniel L. Sanderson. 

This conversation is a two-part conversation about regenerative farming. The first discussion is with Rosie Sanderson Trump who explains the philosophy of regenerative farming and how her family applies those ideas on their farm, Pasture Grazed, located in Clare, Illinois. Part two will feature her dad, Dan Sanderson. He has farmed for 50 years and operates the family farm. 

This is the first episode of season 2. Jennifer Long and Jo Cessna discuss how they have used food to help people with grief. Jennifer is the Executive Director with Conley Outreach Community Services. 

Enjoy our bonus episode of "Food: Gathering Around the Table" with Chef Hannah Flora. During this conversation, we talk with Chef Hannah who appeared on "Hell's Kitchen" this past season, but she traces her love of food back to her time growing up in DeKalb. 

Stay tuned for more conversations about "Food" as we return in the fall for Season 2. 

This project is made possible through generous funding from Illinois Humanities. Illinois Humanities is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Illinois General Assembly (through the Illinois Arts Agency). Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed by speakers, program participants, or audiences do not necessarily reflect those of the NEH, Illinois Humanities, our partnering organizations, or our funders.

In this episode of "Food Gathering Around the Table," we talk with Harlan and Katie, owners of South Moon BBQ located in Hinckley, Illinois. 

This project is made possible through generous funding from Illinois Humanities. Illinois Humanities is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Illinois General Assembly (through the Illinois Arts Agency]. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed by speakers, program participants, or audiences do not necessarily reflect those of the NEH, Illinois Humanities, our partnering organizations, or our funders. 

During this podcast we talk with Josh Koroscik owner of the Wild Carrot food truck based in Waterman, Illinois. 

This project is made possible through generous funding from Illinois Humanities. Illinois Humanities is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Illinois General Assembly (through the Illinois Arts Agency]. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed by speakers, program participants, or audiences do not necessarily reflect those of the NEH, Illinois Humanities, our partnering organizations, or our funders.