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Estrella Gonzalez of Estrellita s Snacks prepares food in her commercial space at La Cocina kitchen in San Francisco, framed by the flag of El Salvador.
(Carlos Cabrera-LomelÃ/KQED en Español)
Food transcends language, and for immigrants in a country where everything is new, food can help bridge that divide.
16 years ago, Maria del Carmen Flores founded Estrellita’s Snacks in the heart of the Mission as a food vending operation, selling a variety of Salvadoran antojitos like plátanos fritos and yucca and plantain chips in local bars and businesses.
Today, Maria’s daughter Estrella Gonzalez leads the business with her children, Estrella Natale Oceguera and Angel Acevedo. After waiting two years, Estrellita’s Snacks finally opened in La Cocina’s Municipal Marketplace alongside other small businesses led by women chefs and entrepreneurs. Though Maria del Carmen no longer works onsite at the restaurant, Estrella, Natale and Angel carry on her legacy.