Exodus: The Uprooting of Venezuelan Cuisine

With over 7.7 million Venezuelans having left the country, Venezuelan cuisine has taken center stage in cosmopolitan cities such as Miami, New York, Madrid, Mexico City and Panama City. Dishes like arepas, tequeños, cachapas and empanadas are now staples in a myriad of international food scenes, satisfying appetites and offering a flavorful bite of traditional Venezuelan food to foreign audiences across the globe.

Venezuelan cuisine for the soul

“People love Venezuelan food,” says Chef Jorge Udelman, owner of Orale Arepa, a popular Venezuelan restaurant in Mexico City.

The establishment of a Venezuelan food place in the heart of one of the most renowned culinary forces on the planet was an ambitious project for Udelman to undertake: “Mexicans are very attached to their culture and respect it very much, so we decided to stick to ours with some modifications—beans more salty than sweet, for example—in order to offer a sample of our culture through gastronomy. Little by little, our clientele (mostly Mexican) asked us for the most typical dishes of our gastronomy, and that is how we ended up with a 100% Venezuelan menu made with Mexican ingredients.”

Orale Arepa started as a food truck, while word-of-mouth hype spread through the city. “Our philosophy is to make the customer feel at home and to offer them an experience that fills their soul more than their belly. I see a great future for Venezuelan cuisine, not in restaurant quantities but in how it leaves its mark on the people who try it,” Udelman adds.

From Brooklyn to Madrid

In Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York, Casa Ora, a Venezuelan restaurant led by Chef Luis Herrera, has earned a spot in the Michelin Guide, receiving a Michelin Plate in 2022.

Casa Ora reimagines Venezuelan classics with elevated techniques and presentation. Dishes such as bollitos pelones (corn dumplings filled with beef in tomato sauce), mandoca (corn fritters with sweet plantain and queso blanco), and asado negro (braised short rib with burnt papelón sauce) showcase the intricacy of Venezuelan cuisine.

Miami, currently hosting one of the largest Venezuelan communities in the world, enjoys the across-the-board beloved empanadas (half-moon fried pastries made with precooked cornmeal) in spots like Mochima Bistró.

While across the Atlantic, Aranjuez Steak House in Madrid delivers modern takes on traditional Venezuelan food like pabellón criollo (shredded meat, black beans, white rice, and fried plantain slices). Initially founded in the late 1970s in Caracas, Venezuela, the restaurant has returned to its source, reconciling its Spanish and Venezuelan culinary roots.

Venezuelan Food Culture

In Panama, Venezuelan entrepreneur Giovanni Calivá cofounded Entrepanes del Pacífico with two fellow Venezuelans during the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a recent study by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Venezuelan entrepreneurs have invested over US$1 billion in Panama in the past decade, creating nearly 40,000 jobs for Panamanians.

Calivá explains that Panama Pacífico, a residential and commercial district on the outskirts of town, was the perfect area to connect with a diverse audience that has a need for close relationships and nature: “Entrepanes del Pacífico opened its doors in June 2021, at a time when the pandemic was not completely over in Panama. Therefore, we assumed a very high risk. Still, we also identified an opportunity: to fill a space for the inhabitants, collaborators, and visitors. From the beginning, our Venezuelan food has been incredibly well received by the multiple cultures that coexist here.”

The spread of traditional Venezuelan food in the Entrepanes Pacífico menu highlights their commitment to their culture. “It’s gratifying to see how tequeños (fried or baked cheese sticks wrapped in dough), arepas, empanadas and cachapas (savory-sweet Venezuelan corn pancakes stuffed with cheese) have become special in people’s daily lives. Today, it is common to hear our customers ask for dishes by their exact name, with total confidence. For us, that means we are sharing our food and a piece of our home,” the businessman expresses.

The local favorite spot also reflects Venezuela’s cultural richness beyond food. “One of our fundamental pillars is using authentic ingredients that are obtained directly in Panama and maintain the Venezuelan essence. We even adapted the preparation of the coffee: we use Panamanian coffee, but we prepare it in the typical Venezuelan bakery style, with names such as guayoyo (a coffee with more water than usual), marrón (equal parts milk and coffee), and tetero (coffee with a generous amount of milk), which our customers appreciate,” relates Calivá.

Venezuelan holiday dishes

“In November, we celebrate Panamanian traditions with typical music and decorations alluding to the national holidays, while in December, you will hear the sound of Venezuelan gaitas (traditional Venezuelan folk music),” concludes Calivá.

Venezuelan Christmas foods such as hallacas (corn dough stuffed with meats, olives, and capers, wrapped in plantain leaves), pan de jamón (bread filled with ham, raisins, and green olives), and pernil (roasted pork loin) are loved holiday staples that continue to win hearts across borders.