Natalia Mendez [Genuine ✔]

She received the Three Kings Medal from El Museo del Barrio (2017) and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Lehman College (2022).

Natalia Méndez is the co-owner and head chef of La Morada , a family-run Oaxacan restaurant in the South Bronx. Her work transcends culinary excellence, positioning food as a central tool for social justice, mutual aid, and cultural preservation. Culinary Heritage and Indigenous Wisdom natalia mendez

She authored the cookbook series The Sisters of the Milpa , which includes The Book of Beans (2024), documenting the cultural significance of traditional crops. Natalia Mendez: Journalist and Multi-Medium Artist She received the Three Kings Medal from El