Hispanic Heritage Year Project month 2 was dedicated to El Salvador
What a fun month learning all about El Salvador! I am blessed enough to have close friends from El Salvador. They were willing to share with me so much that they love about their country! I posted so many pics on my stories with beautiful beaches, country side and major cities.
Did you know that you can see beaches, volcanoes and mountains all in one day in El Salvador?
In person pupusa lessons were amazing!
We had so much fun learning how to make pupusas. We had a variety of fillings and learned all about those hand techniques!! Check out our video of us making pupusas.
To wrap the month on El Salvador up, I had the honor of visiting El Matador in Patchogue!
Emily Alvarado, co-owner of El matador invited us into the restaurant. I was lucky enough to not only sit and chat with her but I got to go in the kitchen and meet her dad. She showed me how to cook her favorite special occasion meal, Panes De Pollo!
News 12 joined us to celebrate El salvador!
The timing Gods worked in our favor that day! News 12’s talented journalist, Jon Dowding wanted to do a segment highlighting my year long project so we made our schedules work. They filmed us and highlighted Emily and her amazing family!
Here is my interview with Emily
Emily, tell me a little bit about you and your family and how you got this restaurant started?
My dad and I started this about six years ago. I was on a semester break from college. My Dad comes in one day and says “We’re gonna open a restaurant!” My response immediately was “Ok, sure why not!” I knew it was always his dream. As a little girl, I always worked with him in restaurants like being a coat check girl when he didn’t have a babysitter. I remember working in an old style Italian restaurant I thought I made a big I had like $50! It has been so nice to have this with my dad and help him achieve his dream of having his own restaurant because he’s an amazing chef! I was a business major in college. I am so happy to know that I am using my education to help him. We just celebrated our six year anniversary here. It is my dad, my sister and my uncles in the kitchen.
Tell me how your Latina heritage, cuisine and atmosphere influence the restaurant?
My dad is very creative when it comes to incorporating every culture into our foods. But I think the base of our sauces is what makes us stand out. and that has our Salvadoran spices and style like our fresh, plum tomatoes. No one really recognizes that and you’ll see it in a lot of our sauces. I feel like that’s where people connect with El Salvador. When we had our Cinco de Mayo specials, it sold out so quick!
Tell me, what are some of the challenges you face in establishing and continuing the restaurant and how do you overcome them?
I think not being on Main Street in Patchogue. Those restaurants are also great and I feel like I’m a little hidden. But that has its benefits too. When people do find us they call us the hidden gem because they don’t expect to find a restaurant on route 112 which is so busy. You’re just driving forward, you’re not looking to the sides and when they do come in they see how it is here, They think it’s so cozy and warm. And then once they see the plates on their table they are like “WOW! I couldn’t believe this place presents food like this!”
How do you source your ingredients? Do you have traditional ingredients that you use for your dishes?
My dad does all the shopping. We have a pretty small kitchen so we keep everything as frsh as possible. Even the sauces are being made every two days. He goes out the different markets daily. He makes frinds with all the vendors. They even call him and say “Hey we have this in stock or on special”
Share with me what are some of the signature dishes? I know you brought up the plum tomato sauce that sets you apart. What are some of your favorite signature dishes?
I say my favorite is the Juancho! That has a steak, Salvadoran chorizo, grilled chicken and my dad makes a homemade chimichurri sauce drizzled on top. The Arroz Con Pollo is my ultimate comfort food. It does have delicious, plum tomato sauce to it. I love Arroz Con Pollo because it’s so different in every country. But everyone like tastes it and they say “Oh my grandma used to make it this way or oh this takes me back to when I was a kid visiting my family.”
Tell me about your community involvement. I know I’ve seen you at different latina community events and I even attended one here for the Latina Mom’s Connect Group.
It really started during Covid. We went through a difficult time like other restaurants with no seating allowed. But everyone really started supporting us. A lot of the teachers from Pat Med were supporting us by getting family meals. That’s what really kept us going! I had the opportunity to join the Latino Leadership Council in Patchogue after that. I am on the board Directors and I have been enjoying it. It’s my way to thank my community for keeping us afloat. I love being behind-the-scenes. I love putting together events, inspiring and meeting people that are inspiring me to do better in my career.
How do you envision your future? What’s in store for the restaurant and you personally?
We’re working on expanding. We want to have an outdoor patio soon. We have the space. We’re building it little by little. I want to see my catering to get more popular. When we do cater, people get amazed with the portions and the taste of the food. Personally, I think I just want be more involved in the community. I want to be involved in bigger events and help more like we did last year. We participated in the Patchogue Hispanic Heritage show and we were able to donate $3000 to Sepa Mujer! I want to donate and help more!
Make sure to visit Emily and her family at El Matador. Tell her I said hola!!
