Tacorazon Central Kitchen

In 2008 I came to volunteer in Guatemala, but never expected the country would become home. I was helping build schools and train teachers when I decided to set up Tacorazon, a restaurant chain committed to paying fair trade to local organic family farmers. We hired great people to whom we paid a good living wage, and have always supported our local communities with social projects. 

For five years we lived by these principles and grew to multiple locations. We make great food. But what makes me proudest is the change that our food creates.

So when Covid hit an insecure economy in Guatemala, unemployment levels skyrocketed, tourism ceased, and businesses shuttered. 

We’ve fought to keep our doors open, although customers are far fewer than before. Our staff remains dedicated, and even took a pay cut to keep us afloat.

Every day, more people line the streets with white flags signaling a lack of food. 

With the help of several donations plus the few sales we generate, every week we provide meals to front-line hospital workers  and volunteer fire fighters, and support vulnerable populations by supporting other great projects like TanLechugaYo, managing La Olla Comunitaria / The Community Pot, a soup kitchen feeding hundreds daily, and inspiring us to do even more. 

This campaign aims to formalize and grow Tacorazon Central Kitchen, inspired by and modeled after, but not in conjunction with, World Central Kitchen. Whether you can buy a burrito or 100, we will subsidize their cost, pay fair trade to farmers, get our committed staff back to their livable wage, and feed the folks who need our help now. 

I can’t wait to show you the incredible things we are going to do together.