As a Venezuelan refugee living in Trinidad and Tobago since 2016, Kena Maldonado knows what it's like having to start over from scratch. But she firmly believes that no matter what, she is obligated to contribute to the country that took her in at her time of need.
A refugee is someone who has fled war, violence, conflict or persecution in their country and crossed international borders to find safety in another country.
Maldonado told WMN she came to TT because of the political and economic turmoil that was taking place in her country, and after receiving multiple threats. A graphic designer and chef by profession, she had nothing when she arrived in TT and was literally starting over.
"I left my family behind and came by myself. I had lost everything, including my graphic design company. But when we are in a country we have to contribute, so for me it’s in the kitchen. I love to cook. It is my life."
[caption id="attachment_939457" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Kena Maldonado stirs the pot to incorporate the ingredients in her Talkari de Chivo (Venezuelan goat curry). - JEFF K MAYERS[/caption]
She said when she arrived in TT she got into a food business with two other people, but it didn't work out and she had to start over again.
"That was my first bad experience here. It was hard because I had put a lot of time, energy and what little money I had into that business and got back nothing."
She said she worked at many different restaurants, but there was always a problem with the salaries.
"They don’t always want to pay the correct salaries for the amount of work we do."
Eventually, she said, she and another Venezuelan woman began preparing food and selling out of a church by orders. Business was good and more orders started coming in, until 2020 when the covid19 pandemic halted their operations.
"And when things re-opened, there I was again, starting from zero, but this time with a quality of food that people knew and loved."
Maldonado now operates her registered business, Carlos Bakery, which serves a variety of dishes, including Arabian and Mexican food.
"We mix it up a little bit sometimes with Venezuelan food. But it's mostly about what the people request...We work by orders on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, selling food at Barbados Road, Federation Park."
She said her plans for Carlos Bakery is to open a physical place and to hire more Trini cooks because she wants a mix of both culinary cultures.
[caption id="attachment_939459" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Kena Maldonado adds a mix of chopped vegetables including bell peppers, sweet peppers (pimentos) and onions to her pot as she prepares her Talkari de Chivo (Venezuelan goat curry). - JEFF K MAYERS[/caption]
"We are here to help the business sector, but also to show that wherever you are you can dream and make things happen. We (refugees) want to help. We are not the enemy. We can work together and grow together."
The 32-year-old is also one of 14 contributors to a cookbook, From Our Table to Yours: Fusion Cuisine, a
