Cooking For A Better Life

Edgar Garcia was born in Mexico City, Mexico. In search of a better life for his family, Edgar pursuits the American dream of becoming a business owner. He has been a cook for over 20 years. At 43 years old, he is the owner and head cook of his new restaurant “Las Enchiladas”. Which prides itself for its healthy, authentic and fresh menu.

                             

   La Familia

Brandon Garcia: Tell me about growing up with eight siblings, and how you had to cook and be the responsible one of the family.

Edgar Garcia:  We have in the family seven people. It’s not easy cause one died so that’s why you counted eight. I’m the six and my sister is the number seven the younger one, but my aunt she take care of her and not me. The time when I (was) like ten years old or so my mom she has to work and she teach me (how to cook). So she leaving in the morning and come back midnight. I have to eat something, sometimes cold sometimes it’s kind of hard because in my house everyone makes their own food. Everything I do, I always like it. I try to find the (positive side). Sometimes when you find a job (there is) something you don’t like from the job, it’s hard to keep even if you make good money. When I start doing the job for restaurants I (noticed) I like to create.

"I Like to Create"

Brandon Garcia: How did you start into the restaurant business?

Edgar Garcia: It's something I don't know I have to do it. When I came (to) America the situation it’s hard because I have to make money I came for work, but I never thinking I wanna work on the kitchen or in the restaurant. So it's the first job I have and I make more money than what I expect. Then I find another job in the restaurant and I feel comfortable, that’s how I started. I (made) friends, they recommended me more restaurants and the time when they recommend me, I get a little more experience. So any job you have the more experience you have the more money you have, it’s how it is. I started as dishwasher because all people start as dishwasher. From the bottom! It’s how you build your career better and now I know how to work everything because I started from the bottom.

Brandon Garcia: Would you build something different, other than the restaurant business?

Edgar Garcia: I like to keep the restaurant business. It’s a new experience and it’s something I looking for a long time! I like what I do. I like to go outside and talk to the people and see (their) faces when they finish the plate. I never find anybody that can tell me they don’t like my food [laughs]. Today for example a lady (asked me) “hey do you have fish tacos?” I told her “yes I have fish tacos” and she says “anybody can make enchiladas”. [Edgar laughs] Not everyone can make enchiladas, I make my own enchilada salsas. I have 100% Mexican enchiladas. She says “okay if you can make very good fish tacos than I believe you”. I say “okay I wanna make the fish tacos and if you don’t like it then you don’t pay for them”. I believ[ed] 100% she like it before I make them because all the people I’ve made fish tacos they like it. Even one guy told me one day “I don’t eat fish, I don’t like fish”. So I make fish tacos and invite his family and everybody (was) eating fish tacos and he say “okay I wanna trying” and after that every week he wanted me to invite him again for my fish tacos. That lady I made the fish tacos for finished before her husband in like five minutes.

Finding the Middle Ground

Brandon Garcia: Tell me when you found out that my mom was pre-diabetic. How you switched your cooking style?

Edgar Garcia: Okay. That is a something I put in my mind to because it’s hard for (her). It’s hard even to make different kinds of foods. The best (is to) find something in the middle for everybody. I start buying less carbohydrates in the house and buy more fruit. Not too healthy but if you follow the directions it’s really easy because she have to make five meals. She have to combine everything in portions. We used to eat three meals but now we split to five. After that I tell her okay you can eat this at this time and I create something every day.

 Making a Difference

Brandon Garcia: Do you think your food makes a difference in other people’s lives?

Edgar Garcia: That is what I try to do. The time when I make the menu for the restaurant, I wanna make something healthy. For example, if you bring the kids to a restaurant the (options are) chicken tenders, hamburgers with fries, macaroni and stuff like that. What about if you put something different? A lot of kids like fruits, but they offer them more sugar. The kids don’t have another option, that’s why I put on menu rice, fruit and vegetables.

Brandon Garcia: It would save you a lot of money if you just used a bunch of oil to get the people coming in and out.

Edgar Garcia: In America a lot of people have a lot of things to do, so they wanna eat quickly. We can do that, but cook with 100% vegetables. The stuff you take from the can is not affecting you right now, it’s affecting you in the future. It’s hard to change the world, because people don’t like you tell them what they have to do. I just try and make the food healthier.

Life Tips

If you’re not responsible for doing whatever you have to do you can’t create anything in the future. I’m working with a lot of people better than me, but at the end of the 4-5 hour (work day) they making something that is not okay. If you make something you feel comfortable with, don’t feel like you have to follow (others). You have to make your own decisions.

Story Facilitators: Brandon Garcia, Mitchell Heinen, Bryce Kelley