Sunday, September 29

Covid-19 thunders to well-known Mexican food restaurant in the San Fernando Valley


It’s the number 47 that closes an organization of more than 200

Covid-19 truena a conocido restaurante de comida mexicana en el Valle de San Fernando
Mama Lichas Kitchen closes its doors. (Courtesy Nadia Abrica)

Photo: Courtesy

Araceli Martínez Ortega

Mamá Lichas Kitchen, a family restaurant with Mexican cuisine, well known in the neighborhood of Sylmar in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, closed its doors under the impact of Covid – 19.

“We couldn’t stay open anymore. The situation exceeded our limits. We tried to sell it, but nobody bought it. The government-imposed business closings hit us very hard, and we didn’t have the space to sell food on the sidewalks and the parking lot. Take-out didn’t work for us either, ”says Nadia Abrica, who owned Mamá Lichas Kitchen.

The closure of this popular restaurant was a blow very hard for Abrica who, after the closure, spent weeks of depression and sadness.

“ We closed last month, but Within the So-Cal Restaurant Associacion.org organization that I chaired, we were restaurant number 47 which closes in Los Angeles, of more than 200 that are part of this grouping of

Hispanic restaurants ”.

Eva “Licha” Ceja, founder of Mamá Lichas Kitchen. (Courtesy Nadia Abrica)

Mamá Lichas Kitchen was opened by Eva Ceja better known as Licha Ceja who since before emigrating to the United States, in his native Michoacán, he began selling tacos by weight. “She opened her first Mamá Licha food business in Jiquilpan, Michoacán where General Lázaro Cárdenas was born, who ate several times at her restaurant. When she emigrated to this country, she brought her kitchen with her. ”

At Sylmar’s location they had more than 10 years, but before they were in various places.

“I was left with a debt of between $ 17, 000 to $ 14, 000. Besides, I was left to owe about three months of rent and I owe the gas. Abrica paid rent $ 3, 800 monthly, plus city and health permits.

“I spoke to the gas company to see if there was some help for businesses affected by Covid – 19, and they said none. Same with city permits. They all go evenly ”, they told him.

Attributes the closure of his business to bad state government policies. “They didn’t handle the closures well. We could have stayed open with social distancing measures. There was a greater risk in supermarkets and those were not closed. ”

And he finished by saying that the government was very unfair to restaurateurs by imposing policies on them very hard that many were hanged.

“We couldn’t qualify for government aid because we had to have at least 15 employees, which made it impossible for us to receive it ”, he says.

Mama Lichas Kitchen in her good old days. (Courtesy Nadia Abrica)
Mama Lichas Kitchen in good times. (Courtesy Nadia Abrica)

But also, notice that they had five street food vendors in front of the restaurant. “I often sold the plate for $ 9, 80 and they at $ 5, 00. I could not compete against them, with the expenses that we have as an established business. ”

He clarifies that he is not against street vendors, but considers that they should not be allowed to establish themselves in areas where they represent unfair competition for businesses that sell the same products.

“California is very expensive. It is understood that people will buy food where it is cheaper. ”

The closure of Mamá Lichas Kitchen left five workers unemployed and the Abrica family itself without a job. “My husband worked in the restaurant, my eldest son of 18 years, five undocumented workers, the most chamberas by the way, my mother and myself. ”

For now, he does not plan to return to the food business. “I got a job in the vaccination campaign, which I hope will help me pay my debts. But definitely the closure of Mamá Lichas Kitchen has left us with great pain in our hearts. ”