Lizbet Mendoza’s business aspirations began in her home kitchen, when she started teaching her daughters the traditions and cultures from her home state of Hidalgo, Mexico, through food.
She wanted them to feel a sense of pride in where they’re from.
“I was teaching them to cook and my two daughters believed in me and said, ‘Mom, you have to sell your food,’” she recalls.
Mendoza has been selling food to family and friends ever since to keep her culture alive and stay connected to her roots. Now, she plans to officially launch after participating in the Spanish version of Kitchen 66, a kickstarter kitchen at Mother Road Market dedicated to helping food entrepreneurs succeed in Tulsa.
She is one of four graduates from the winter cohort of El Programa de Lanzamiento, a 13-week program formerly known as Cocina 66 that teaches the Spanish-speaking community how to launch their food businesses.
Abel Aguilar, kitchen and program manager for Kitchen 66, has overseen five of the seven Spanish-speaking cohorts since the program launched in 2021.
El Programa de Lanzamiento focuses on food handling, with staff from the Tulsa Economic Development Corp. helping participants understand the business side, Aguilar said.
The program graduated its latest cohort Monday night. Here’s how each business owner is getting started, and where they’re headed next.
Casa Liz
Mendoza feels fortunate to have participated in the recent cohort. It’s the first step in launching her business, Casa Liz.
“For me, it’s my baby,” she said.
Mendoza hasn’t found anywhere in Tulsa that offers authentic food from her home state of Hidalgo.
“I’m emotional because the dream we have in my family, my husband and my children is becoming a reality,” Mendoza, who plans to use Kitchen 66’s commercial kitchen to cook, said.
She doesn’t have capital to rent a space or buy a food truck quite yet. In the meantime, Casa Liz will begin having pop-ups at Mother Road Market, with its first scheduled for 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday at 1124 S. Lewis Ave.
Milas Sweet Berries
Lesli Aguirre started her small business Milas Sweet Berries, a cake and dessert shop, in 2019. She bakes cakes for events and specializes in traditional pastries with a modern touch.
She was satisfied with where her business stood this summer, but she knew she wanted to expand eventually. That’s what brought her to the program.
Aguirre said she learned a lot about the resources available that help businesses, such as Arvest Bank and the Tulsa Health Department. She also enjoyed connecting with the other graduates.
“I think it creates a safe space for people to come and learn and know that it’s never too late,” Aguirre said. “Your business idea is never too small. You’re not too old to learn something new and to create something out of your passion.”
She plans to also stay in touch with Aguilar and use the one-on-one guidance that comes after graduation. She hopes to eventually open a physical store toward the end of 2026 or early 2027.
Aguirre encourages other entrepreneurs not to be scared to reach out and ask questions.
“Some people can get discouraged because they’ll be like, ‘Oh, there’s already so many restaurants,’ but there’s only one you,” she said. “You add your own touch to everything that you do.”
Cakes by Mimi
It has been Lidia Nohemí Varela Suazo’s dream to open a bakery since she first moved to Tulsa at 28 years old from Honduras. She started off baking cakes before eventually stopping.
Her husband encouraged her to pick up the passion again. Through the program, the now 46-year-old created Cakes by Mimi and hopes to make her dreams a reality.
Over 13 weeks, she learned how to make a strategic plan, understand credit lines and personal loans and navigate health regulations.
The biggest takeaway for her, though, was understanding the value of her work and labor.
“Sometimes we put prices based on whatever friend on Facebook says, but we don’t really think about if we’re actually gaining money or if we’re just working to work,” she said.
When the time comes, she plans to turn to her mentors at Kitchen 66 for help with finding a physical location. Cakes by Mimi will begin pop-ups at Mother Road Market in January.
Sabores de Mexico
Addy Nunez has spent a lot of time working in kitchens, but now she’s launching her own with Sabores de Mexico.
Nunez and her friend Ricardo Guajardo paired up to create the business during the 13-week program. Nunez focuses on the kitchen side and creates the recipes, while Guajardo manages their finances.
Sabores de Mexico will offer a rotating menu to showcase food from different Mexican states, Nunez said.
“When I start cooking, it’s something for me to relax and focus on every detail of what I’m doing,” Nunez said. “That’s my motivation because I like it and it’s my dream to open a restaurant.”
For now, they hope to cater events so they can figure out the logistics of managing their respective jobs and families alongside Sabores de Mexico.
“I feel very fortunate that I found a program like this in Tulsa, because you don’t find them everywhere, and they support and motivate you,” Nunez said. “I would love for people who have a passion for cooking to find this program to learn.”
The future of El Programa de Lanzamiento
Kitchen 66 will offer its English language program in the spring with plans to launch applications for El Programa de Lanzamiento next August. The program will also extend to 16 weeks next fall rather than the current 13.
“The program right now as it’s structured, it’s robust and intense to where we’re seeing some attrition, because it’s just too much for somebody,” Aguilar said. “But we’re OK with that because we have support systems in place at Kitchen 66, like, you know, pop-up avenues where you don’t need to be licensed or a full business.”
Interested applicants can reach El Programa de Lanzamiento at info@kitchen66tulsa.com.
Angelica Perez is the Eastside/La Semana reporter. You can reach her at angelica@tulsaflyer.org. También habla español.
This article was produced as part of a partnership between the Tulsa Flyer and La Semana, a Tulsa-based bilingual Spanish-English newspaper serving Latino communities in Oklahoma.
News decisions at the Tulsa Flyer are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
