Chef from p 19 in to cook with me and critique my work,” he says. “She’s very friendly but if I’m doing it wrong or something needs more salt, she’ll let me know. She runs her kitchen the way she likes it.” Salcido Esparza’s unique approach caught the eye of another creative, Lucretia Torva, a muralist who painted a depiction of the chef outside the Travelodge at Seventh Avenue and Van Buren Street. In the mural, Salcido Esparza dons a chef’s coat and holds out a tattooed forearm, carrying a silver spoon in her hand which reflects Phoenix, with downtown skyscrapers, a palm tree, the bright sun, and all. Torva suggested Salcido Esparza as the subject of a painting for a campaign by Estrella Jalisco, a Mexican beer company, Road restaurant to elevate perceptions of Mexican-American culture. She advocates for LGBTQ equality, promoting pride events and proudly sharing photos of her own relationship on her social media accounts. The chef is also a constant champion for the unhoused in Phoenix, whether through bottled water and clothing drives, or preparing and handing out freshly cooked meals at local parks. “For under $3 per meal, we fed folks a hot meal on a rainy day. See how that works?! It was not that hard. Barrio Café was really slow for lunch yesterday so it was a perfect project for the staff,” Salcido Esparza wrote in a June Facebook post. She provided meals to the hungry during the pandemic, continuing although Barrio Café Gran Reserva closed its doors and her original restaurant struggled to stay open amid plumbing issues and the economic impact of the coronavirus. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris visited Barrio Café while campaigning in October 2020. The chef greeted them in front of a Phoenix mural in the parking lot, donning a mask and keeping her distance while a crowd cheered on. Salcido Esparza is also the vice president of a lowrider club, a vibrant subculture traditionally dominated by Latino men. One of her lowriders sports a beige and brown paint job with “Chef Silvana, Comida Chingona” spelling out the chef’s catchphrase in styl- ized letters across the side. A silver emblem on the back represents Rosarito, Mexico, the chef’s hometown. The story of Salcido Zee Peralta Even the restroom at Barrio Café is covered in paint by local artists. that sought to highlight local heroes. “She’s a very well-known active partici- pant in the community. Silvana stands up for marginalized groups, whether they are Mexicans or lesbians,” Torva says. Torva also appreciates Esparza’s dedi- cation to her craft, noting that the chef has researched and experienced traditional methods of agriculture and cooking. “She can whip up stuff with food like I can fling a painting,” Torva says. It’s a talent that has brought Salcido 20 Esparza much acclaim. And she doesn’t just bask in the esteem; she uses it to help others. Through Calle 16, a mural project the chef created in response to Arizona Senate Bill 1070, a controversial anti-immigrant law passed in 2010, Mexican artists paint the walls around her 16th Street and Thomas Esparza’s life and her restau- rant Barrio Café is anything but ordinary, something she hopes to document in an autobiographical cookbook called La Hija de la Chingada. The book is dedicated to her 5-year-old grand-niece, Rosa Leonor, who says she’s already a chef when people ask her. “I have written this book for Rosa as a story of who we are as a family and where we come from. A guide of sorts, in hope that she will find some solace and resonate with the roads our ancestors have taken,” Salcido Esparza wrote in an excerpt posted on Instagram. After 20 years, Salcido Esparza can still be found at Barrio Café, though she’s in the kitchen a bit less nowadays. “Restaurant years are like dog years,” says the seasoned chef, who has invested so much of her time into passing on the craft. “All of my nieces and nephews in Phoenix work at restaurants,” she says. “I’m hoping that one of them would be the one to take over the family legacy.” AUG 18TH–AUG 24TH, 2022 PHOENIX NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | FEATURE | NEWS | OPINION | FEEDBACK | CONTENTS | phoenixnewtimes.com
