On one side of the Plaza del Mariachi on First Street in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, it opened its doors and windows, District 14, the new restaurant by the chef of Mexican origin, Juan J. Sanjuan III.
“My partner Guillermo Piñón had the idea of opening a restaurant and giving it the name of District 14 . When we met, he told me about his project and invited me to be part of it. Immediately, I said yes, “says chef Sanjuan in an interview with Real America News , wearing a Los Dodgers shirt, but with the name of District 09 .
This is how Piñón and Sanjuan partnered to create a restaurant that joined the new food businesses that are emerging around the Plaza del Mariachi.
The name of District 14 comes because the restaurant is within the constituency of the district 14 of the Los Angeles Council, which encompasses neighborhoods such as Boyle Heights, El Sereno, Eagle Rock, Highland Park and downtown, among others. “We want it to be a restaurant where everyone in the district comes together 14 ”.
Sanjuan was not afraid to risk the opening of a new restaurant, even when the covid pandemic – 19, he snatched one of his two restaurants.
“We lost Gloria’s Pueblito, but we keep Gloria’s Restaurant in Huntington Park”.
Gloria’s Restaurant was opened by her parents Juan Sanjuan Jr. and Alicia Sanjuan ago 38 years; while chef Sanjuan opened his first restaurant at 24 years in East Los Angeles.
Art in the District 14
On the walls of District 14 highlights an impressive mural where we can see images of the players of Los Dodgers , Fernando Valenzuela and Julio César Urías as well as the narrator in Spanish of Los Dodgers , Jaime Jarrin.
“Fernando Valenzuela has always been one of my idols and Jaime Jarrin brings me many memories and feelings of when I listened to baseball with my dad” , says Piñón.
And he adds that they included Urías in the mural because in the last year, he helped The Dodgers to win.
“We are in talks with them so that the three of them can come to the District 14 when the baseball season ends. ”
For the realization of the mural they partnered with Kalli Arte Collective of Boyle Heights, who commissioned the work. But every month they will bring local artists to the District 14 to display their art.
Sanjuan III announces that they will also close on Wednesdays to accommodate itinerant chefs.
“The 100% of what is earned, will be for them and a small percentage goes to the Foundation Chefs supporting Chefs ”,
And remember that in the heaviest months of the pandemic, between March and May, he and Chef George gave away more than 20, 000 meals for the elderly.
“We were worried about people, especially older people like my grandmother who couldn’t go out. It has made me very sad to see so many people die and continue to die. ”
A place for the community
Chef Sanjuan III says that they have had to overcome many obstacles and it has not been easy to open a restaurant in the middle of the pandemic. “But we felt our community needed it especially here in Boyle Heights.”
From the restaurant District 14, can be viewed at the far away, the First Street Bridge and downtown Los Angeles buildings. “Before our people used to cross the bridge to go to work or go out to restaurants, now they don’t have to cross it. Here you have everything, you don’t have to go anywhere else; and we want other cities to come and consume here. ”
His vision is that the District 19 be a house for the community, where you will find traditional and village food such as gorditas, cakes, burritos, chicken chicharrones; and later, ceviches.
Unfortunately, he explains that due to the health crisis they are short-staffed. However, if there is something he is proud of, it is to have recruited chef Isabella Rosas who worked with him at Gloria’s and La Huasteca restaurant.
“ We are creating a team of pure women, aunts, sisters and moms who live in Boyle Heights. The hiring system that we develop seeks to give women from this community an opportunity ”.
He emphasized that what they want is that the diners when trying their dishes, think that they taste like those of their grandmother. “So that’s why we brought our aunts and mothers to cook.”
Other dishes that are going to be included on the menu are: green chicken pozole, small red and the cooked. “Every week we are going to have a soup from each state with handmade tortillas.”
Aztec Spirit
Chef Sanjuan III acknowledges that they have had to overcome many obstacles and it has not been easy to open a restaurant in the midst of the pandemic. “But we felt our community needed him especially here in Boyle Heights.”
But he further states that they cannot give up on the covid crisis – 19.
“If we Latinos have something, it is our Aztec warrior fighting spirit.”
District 14 is located in 1837 E. 1st street, Boyle Heights 90033.
“We are open from Thursday to Sunday, and from Monday to Wednesday we have special events to support local artists and raise funds for our traveling chefs and the Foundation Chefs supporting Chefs ”.