St. Joe’s Dining Services hosted celebrity chef Grace Ramirez Oct 8. to showcase her latest Latin American dining concept, La Latina Cocina, to students in The Kettle.
Ramirez is a celebrated chef, activist and cookbook author who uses her skills to connect with those around her. La Latina Cocina’s menu combines Aramark’s produce and ingredients with Chef Grace’s recipes.
Through her partnership with Aramark, Ramirez hopes to expose college students to an authentic Latin cooking experience. La Latina Cocina has been brought to more than 85 campuses across the country, with St. Joe’s being one of them.
“I like to have a lot of impact and a lot of reach, and Aramark can do that,” Ramirez said. “They also have been very good in respecting my recipes and the culture and really celebrating what I am about and what La Latina Cocina is about.”
Ramirez’s advocacy work is multifaceted and has left lasting impacts. One highlight, Ramirez said, was her work with the World Central Kitchen, which provides meals to communities battling food insecurity and humanitarian crises.
“One of my proudest moments was working with World Central Kitchen and the City of New York to feed thousands of New Yorkers,” Ramirez said. “It was around 100,000 meals a day, 10 million meals throughout the operation, helping save over 250 restaurants from closing.”
Because of her efforts, Ramirez was recognized as a Covid-19 Hero by the City of New York. In addition, with the help of the United Nations, Ramirez works with the Chef’s Manifesto to promote food sustainability.
For Ramirez, her passion for food came from her multicultural family.
“My grandmother and my grandpa [are] from Venezuela,” Ramirez said. “My mom lives in Mexico. My stepfather is from Peru. I was born in Miami, and I’m a New Yorker, and food is what brings my family together. I like to celebrate culture through food.”
Students like Crystal Benito ’29 were looking forward to trying something new with La Latina Cocina.
“I can tell she’s passionate about what she does,” Benito said. “I think it’s really nice to see how food brings people together internationally as well.”
Ramirez’s recipes not only captured the vibrancy of Latin American culture but also accommodated students facing dietary restrictions, like Camryn Demetrius ’29.
“I don’t eat meat,” Demetrius said. “I don’t eat gluten. Anybody can have something. I feel like it’s very open, and you can choose what you want based on what she provides.”
Ramirez’s appearance at St. Joe’s was made possible by Vannessa Jimenez, Aramark’s field marketing manager for St. Joe’s. Jimenez said the partnership enhances Aramark’s mission of food equity while spotlighting Ramirez’s advocacy for food justice.
“Her visit gave students the opportunity to meet the face behind the recipes and learn more about her background,” Jimenez said. “It reaffirms our commitment to providing thoughtfully prepared meals and recognizes the hard work our culinary team puts in to execute recipes just like hers for our students, every day.”
La Latina Cocina is rooted in love and tradition, two things Ramirez hopes many students can take away.
“I hope they feel a sense of home,” Ramirez said. “I hope they feel warm and fuzzy inside. I hope it feels like a warm hug. They should try everything because everything is delicious. It’s family recipes with a lot of heart.”
