Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza: La Hija de la Chingada

Award-winning chef, activist, and mentor Silvana Salcido Esparza shares her memoir.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Defiant. Unapologetic. Revolutionary.

Award-winning chef Silvana Salcido Esparza has spent her life breaking barriers and challenging the status quo. In this fearless and deeply personal memoir, she pulls back the curtain on her journey—not just as a chef, but as a Mexican, a woman, a lesbian, and an immigrant’s daughter—navigating a culinary industry and a society often hostile to her very existence.

From the bustling kitchens of her family’s panadería to the highest echelons of fine dining, La Hija de la Chingada is a story of survival, resistance, and triumph. Battling racism, misogyny, patriarchy, xenophobia, and homophobia, Chef Silvana refuses to conform, forging her own path through fire—both in and out of the kitchen.

With the soul of a rebel and the heart of a storyteller, she blends personal history with a fierce critique of the colonial structures that shape the American food industry. Through food, she reclaims her heritage, dismantles stereotypes, and uses her culinary artistry as a tool for social justice.

A bold exploration of identity, resilience, and the unbreakable bond between culture and cuisine, this memoir is more than a chef’s journey—it’s a manifesto. A must-read for anyone who has ever felt marginalized, silenced, or underestimated.

Because food is more than sustenance—it is power. It is a protest. And for those who dare to challenge the system, it is a revolution.

ABOUT THE AUTHORChef Silvana Salcido Esparza, born into a family of skilled Mexican bakers and cooks, has harnessed her culinary heritage and business acumen to become a celebrated chef, activist, and mentor in Phoenix, Arizona. Her award-winning cuisine has graced the city's dining scene and has garnered recognition world-wide. She is a James Beard Award Semi-finalist and finalist a total of 9 times. She has written for Lowrider Magazine about women in Lowriding and a weekly column for New Times.

She currently lives between Playas de Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico and Phoenix, Arizona with her wife, Serina.

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