Today I'd like to introduce you to Liz, the founder of Rosados Latin American Cuisine. Like many of us, Liz founder herself cooking at home more during the recent pandemic and embracing the food of her families roots.
Fast forward to October 28th where she had an opportunity to open a popup location in the Smith Haven Mall featuring classic Puerto Rican dishes that are thoughtfully prepared including vegan options.
A Passion for Food
Liz is an architect by trade had grown up around the culinary world since her youth. Her Mom worked in the hotel and hospitality industry and when Liz became an architect her primary focus has always been hospitality. She's been involved with building restaurants, bars and night clubs throughout her career .
Liz has been fortunate enough to meet a lot of wonderful and talented chefs who instilled in her the passion for the job. Chefs do the work because they love it and Liz had that same passion when she wanted to open Rosados.
Opening a Restaurant is Expensive
Not only is opening a restaurant on main street expensive, it comes with a lot of risks. Since the pandemic many business owners have had to shift their perspective on how they do business. Through Liz's relationships as an architect she was fortunate enough to have great relationships with owners at Smith Haven Mall.
Liz tells us how this unique setup as a popup in the mall was able to afford her an opportunity to bring Rosado's Latin American Cuisine to a new segment of customers while mitigating some of the risks that come with opening a typical restaurant location.
The Heart of Puerto Rican Food
If you've never had Puerto Rican food, you don't know what you're missing. The flavors are unmistakable and as Liz explains, it starts with Sofrito made with fresh herbs, peppers, onions and garlic. At Rosado's they puree the Sofrito into a marinade that becomes the base of their dishes.
What you'll also learn in this episode is the layering of flavor and time that goes into their dishes like their take on a Cuban sandwich that features slow roasted pork, cheese, pickles and ham. Check out https://bigfoodtalk.com/rosados-latin-american-cuisine for photos of my dining experience and more about their dishes.