Chef Melissa Araujo on Elevating Honduran Cuisine and Latinas

Melissa Araujo, the executive chef and owner of Alma Cafe in New Orleans, has carved out an impressive culinary career that celebrates her Honduran heritage. Araujo’s journey has taken her from working as a teenager in New Orleans restaurant kitchens to honing her skills in top establishments in Italy and Mexico, before returning to her adopted hometown to open her acclaimed Honduran restaurant.

At Alma Cafe, Araujo pays homage to her grandmother’s hearty cooking style, offering visitors a culinary experience steeped in the flavors and traditions of Honduras. Her nomination as a 2024 James Beard: Best Chef South semifinalist is a testament to the growing recognition of Latina chefs and the importance of their representation in the food and beverage industry.

Araujo’s story is one of perseverance, passion, and the ability to bring the rich cultural heritage of her Honduran roots to the forefront of the culinary landscape in the South. Through her work, she has not only elevated the profile of Honduran cuisine but also paved the way for more Latina voices to be heard and celebrated in the industry.

In the following Q&A, Araujo shares insights into how her Honduran heritage has influenced the dishes and culture at Alma Cafe, her perspectives on the evolving role of Latinas in the culinary world, and her advice for aspiring Latina chefs. Her story is an inspiring example of the power of embracing one’s cultural identity and using it to provide meaningful and authentic representation.

How has your Honduran heritage influenced the dishes and culture at Alma Cafe, and how do you think this representation impacts the broader culinary scene?

How do you see the role of Latinas evolving in the culinary world, and what can be done to foster more opportunities for them?

I think that, as Latinas, we are starting to get the deserved recognition of how our cultures influence others. But there is still more that needs to be done. More doors need to be opened and more opportunities must be offered to Latinas. We deserve to have a seat at the table.

I think shining a spotlight on successful Latina women and their stories is key to the evolution of Latinas’ role in the culinary landscape. Magazines like Hispanic Executive help tell those stories.

In your opinion, how can the food and beverage industry better support and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, particularly for Latinas?

In my opinion, the food industry needs to have a deeper conversation about how the industry is run. To promote diversity and inclusion, the industry needs to be more open to looking for talent in non-traditional ways. For example, Alma Kitchen is run exclusively by immigrant women from Central America. This is not something that I set out to do as a chef, but instead what life serendipitously planned for me.

I found myself in a situation, during COVID-19, where I was going through cooks opening my restaurant quickly and facing many of the pandemic-related problems of the industry. So, I started finding new cooks in places I never thought about looking initially. But looking back, it made sense.

Most immigrant women coming to this country don’t have the proper culinary skills, but they gravitate naturally to the kitchen. So, I found myself teaching them how to become professional cooks. What surprised me was how willingly and easily they took to it. We are eager to learn. Now, it’s just about opening up the industry to be more intentional and inclusive when we think about authentic representation in the kitchen.

Your journey has taken you from Honduras to Italy and back to New Orleans. How have these diverse cultural experiences shaped your culinary perspective?

My culinary travels have definitely defined who I am today. And they have enriched me as a person. Each place has its own cuisine and culture, so I am lucky to be able to draw from all of them and incorporate them into the way I look at food.

As a child, food was at the center of my life. My mother and my grandmother—every woman in my life—was always cooking something, or there was always a reason to create. I guess watching them all cook, I naturally gravitated towards becoming a cook myself, and I see them in every dish I make.

At her flagship restaurant, the Honduran native pays tribute to her grandmother’s cooking with dishes like baleadas, pollo chuco, pupusas, and more. In 2023, Araujo was tapped by Keely Sheeran of Pirogue’s Whiskey Bar in Arabi, Louisiana, to open Oscar for a celebration of classic bar food from around the world. 

With Alma Cafe paying tribute to your grandmother’s cooking, can you tell us about her influence on your life and career?

My grandmother always taught me to respect the ingredients used while cooking, and to truly understand the nature of their ecosystem and where they come from. You must understand that an animal must die to give us sustenance. Everything is part of the circle of life, and you must be respectful of that.

All the ingredients used at Alma Cafe are homegrown in my backyard, as I care about what my customers put in their stomachs. It’s a source of nourishment that should intentional—and cared for.

Congratulations on being named a semifinalist for James Beard: Best Chef South 2024! What does this recognition mean to you, personally and professionally?

The James Beard nomination, personally and professionally, means opportunities to open other doors in my career and in my businesses. I cannot wait to see what the future brings.

Future plans for Alma are to get better at our craft and grow exponentially. Hopefully, we’ll spread to a couple more locations. As for future projects, Araujo Restaurant Group will be opening four more projects under our umbrella in the near future.

As a successful entrepreneur and chef, what advice would you give to Latinas aspiring to enter the culinary world?

Understand who you really are and learn not to take anything personally. Keep an open mind and learn as much as you can. Never doubt yourself.

Melissa Araujo, the executive chef and owner of Alma Cafe in New Orleans, is a 2024 James Beard: Best Chef South semifinalist. Born in La Ceiba, Honduras, Araujo’s culinary journey has taken her from working as a dishwasher in New Orleans restaurants (when she was a teenager) to honing her skills in top Italy and Mexico kitchens. Today, she’s returned to her adopted hometown to open her own acclaimed Honduran restaurant, Alma Café, in New Orleans’ Bywater neighborhood.

At Alma, Araujo pays tribute to her grandmother’s hearty cooking style and Honduran heritage, offering visitors a culinary journey through food and culture. Her nomination for the prestigious James Beard Award highlights the growing recognition of Latina chefs and the importance of their representation in the food and beverage industry. Araujo’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance, passion, and the ability to bring the flavors of one’s cultural heritage to the forefront of the culinary landscape.