Community Highlights: Meet Jamie Acevedo of Sexy Mofongo Puerto Rican Catering and Pasteles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Acevedo.

Hi Jamie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico , raised by my parents in the Bronx, NYC where i went to school, As a child i remember mostly playing sports when i wasn’t in school listening to music and watching my mother cook classic Puerto Rican food and making pasteles during the holidays. I enlisted in the Air Force when i was 22 because of sense of wanting to to do my patriotic duty and do some traveling, after training in Colorado i was send to Luke AFB in Litchfield, Arizona where i worked on the F-15 fighters. i started to become aware of the Mexican cuisine here and thought one day i would move back and start a Puerto Rican food place and once my kids become older and with their ok that’s what we did . i came across a small Mexican cafe that was for lease, so we started there in a strip mall in Scottsdale ,Arizona and called it El Coquito translation little coconut also named after a traditional coconut drink with rum. it was a small place but was filled on the weekends, people came from as far as California for the food , we very soon became best of Phoenix Times Latin food winner featured on the front page and in there food section , we also did channel 3 Good mooring Arizona segment with Kaley O”Kelley for a up coming Puerto Rican festival That was held in Tempe, also did a radio spot for culinary confessions on a local radio station. Loved the restaurant but enjoyed catering a lot more and it allows me to interact with with customers more and i find it more rewarding . I started Sexymofongo and Pasteles catering with the love of my life Nancy and together we enjoy cooking and making the Pasteles that every one enjoys for the holiday

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Many struggles running a food business but it has been the best time of my life

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are known for our traditional Puerto Rican Pasteles , described by many as sort of a tamale looking food but that’s where the similarities end , we use a indigenous Taino masa of Green bananas with yautia a root taro, calabaza and potatoes filled with a pork mixture which is slow cooked with adobo, sofrito and green olives which are wrapped in banana leaf’s and parchment paper , tied and boiled for a hour

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Being as authentic as possible , i often here ” taste just like my mother and grandmother made”

Pricing:

• Pasteles are $45.00 per dozen

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Sexymofongo.com
• Facebook: sexy mofongo
• Yelp: sexymofongo puerto rican catering and pasteles