Live at Food Without Borders 2025 with Monica Dimas, Jose Garzon and Andrea Pons

Dishin’ Up Diaspora presents a powerful live episode from “Food Without Borders,” recorded at Ohsun in Seattle. Chef Emme opens the night, then welcomes keynote speaker Monica Dimas—chef, restaurateur, and Mexican immigrant—whose story traces finding home, healing, and creativity through food. She’s followed by a spirited panel with author/producer Andrea Pons  and chef/creator Jose Garson, exploring immigrant identity, community care, and the kitchens that shaped them.

Across this conversation, we unpack what it means to cook from memory and migration: the Sunday carne asada nostalgia, the notebooks of abuela’s recipes, the pride and pain of assimilation, and the moment you stop hiding and start telling your story. We talk industry realities—gatekeeping vs. sharing, fine-dining standards vs. our own techniques, permits and “pop-ups,” hiring immigrants legally as contractors—and how chefs can build spaces where Latin food isn’t just served, it’s celebrated. Expect honesty, humor, and the kind of vulnerability that turns a meal into a movement.

What you’ll hear:
 • Monica on losing—and rediscovering—the spark for cooking by embracing her immigrant story
 • Andrea on transforming 14 years of fear and shame into pride, advocacy, and the Mamacita cookbook
 • Jose on rejecting “blend in” culture, centering Latinx street food, and teaching guests to eat with intention
 • The case for storytelling on the plate: survival, creativity, and why American food is immigrant food
 • Practical ways to support immigrants in the industry (hiring, mentorship, contractor pathways)
 • Integrity, community, and raising the next generation with culture, joy, and openness

Why this episode matters:
Food is the language of the diaspora. It carries memory, resistance, and love. In a time when immigration is politicized, these voices remind us that community begins at the table—and that telling the truth about our journeys is a radical kind of hospitality.

Perfect for listeners who love: immigrant stories, Latinx/Latine food culture, Mexican and Latin American cuisines, culinary entrepreneurship, cookbook writing, restaurant life, identity and belonging.

If you enjoyed this episode:
 • Follow, rate, and review Dishin’ Up Diaspora
 • Share this conversation with a friend in food or a first-gen creative
 • Tag your takeaways and favorite quotes so we can amplify your voice

Listen in, settle in—and join us at the table.