Chicharrones by Brian

Name: Brian Reyes

Origin: Born and raised in Los Angeles by Guatemalan parents who migrated into the US in the late 70s. First generation American.

Dishes: Ceviche De Camarones, Chicharrones, and Chirmol and Cochinita Pibil

These are just a few examples of things I would always see my mother cook for parties/celebrations/holidays. I grew up with very little but her cooking was that special treat. Her cooking would attract the entire family, especially throughout the holidays. I remember the Ceviches in the summer. The Chicharrones were always made huge quantities because she knew how everyone loved them. Chirmol was always made all year long. It was used on everything. I get home sick often so what I do is try to recreate the foods I grew up with using as much of the original ingredients but with a bit of my personal twists along the way.

The cochinita pibil was a dish I created to try to reconnect to my Mayan roots/ancestry.