Today we’d like to introduce you to Fernando Hernandez.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Testal Mexican Kitchen is meant to be a cultural experience of my home, Chihuahua, Mexico. Chihuahua is a place not very well known, but it should be. We have beautiful landscapes, including the Copper Canyon (which is larger than the Grand Canyon), resilient indigenous communities, and delicious food. It is important for us to share not only the food but present it in the context of our community and our people.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
COVID-19 was extremely difficult for us. Unfortunately, we broke ground in March of 2020, right before the pandemic BECAME the pandemic. With closures, restrictions, and the fact that we didn’t qualify for pandemic economic assistance since we opened right after the cut-off date, it was extremely difficult to get going. In a way, we are still dealing with some of the issues that difficult beginning caused. But we are still here and still excited to continue to share more of our culture with you all.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
The story of Testal is really an immigrant story. I’m a DREAMER. Though I’m fortunate enough to have my permanent residency now, I was unable to go back home for over 2 decades. I was born in Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico. My family came to the US when I was 10. After more than 2o years, I finally had the chance to reconnect with my home and culture. That rekindling was an incredible experience. One that I documented with photographs. I have a BFA in photography from ASU and have been a photographer for about 15 years. The most fulfilling experience as a photographer has been documenting my travels through Chihuahua, and I share those visual through the restaurant.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I was named a semifinalist for the James Beard Award. But I’m not the chef. At Testal, we share my mom’s food with you all. We feed you the comfort food my mom has fed us our entire life.
Contact Info:
- Website: testalphx.com
- Instagram: testalphx
- Facebook: testalphx
Image Credits
Fernando A. Hernández
