JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The ‘Route of Hispanic Flavors' will come to Jacksonville for this year's National Hispanic Heritage Month to give people a tour through traditional foods of four Latin countries.
Going to a new restaurant can sometimes be frightening, especially if the food is culturally different from your own. That’s why this year four restaurants are showcasing their best entrees in an event meant to expose more people to Hispanic food.
‘Latin Creations’ is a family-run business, managed by Beatrice Chanbler who moved here from Puerto Rico with her mom.
“She started cleaning houses. When I came to visit her I was like mom, you’re wasting your talent, cause we use to have businesses on the island," said Beatrice Chanbler, Manager of 'Latin Creations'.
Bringing the Puerto Rican culture into both the food and atmosphere of the restaurant is a top priority.
“It brings joy basically I’ll say, to your own heritage and other people who have never experienced Puerto Rico, they’ll come here and they’re like wow this is great," said Chanbler.
Sharing culture through food is the reason ‘Latin Creations’ and three other restaurants joined the ‘Route of Hispanic Flavors’, taking place Oct 4-8, hosted by the First Coast Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
The event offers participants tickets for dinners off a lineup menu. Each day of the week is dedicated to trying a new traditional Latin dish at one of the restaurants. The goal is to simplify eating at a new restaurant and expose people to the Hispanic culture.
A husband and wife run ‘Delicias Colombianas Jax’ and say that Latin food is much more than chicken and rice. They hope this event will help expand the public’s tastebuds.
“People get afraid to start ordering it, or when they go through the menu they’re like I don’t even know what this is. But we always tell our customers be adventurous, try something new," said Christina Osorio, co-owner ‘Delicias Colombianas Jax. "The people are getting to know Columbian Food.”
There are four countries represented on the “Route of Hispanic Flavors” and four traditional dinners to pick from. More information and tickets can be found here.