Tracie Cabezas, a proud Bay Area native, has always felt a calling to be a chef. When she was a little girl, she could always be found alongside her grandmother in the kitchen, cooking and bringing family and friends together through food. As an adult, her lifelong dream of being a chef and creating her own food establishment led her to study at Le Cordon Bleu, a world-renowned culinary education institution. 

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Her culinary journey took her to the island of Oahu where she landed an internship at Duke's Waikiki and learned Hawaiian island-style cooking. However, with two small children to provide for, Tracie decided to move home to the Bay Area, put her culinary dreams on the back burner, and pursue a career in public education to provide stability for her family.

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“I had a family, and I couldn’t put in the time to pursue my dream in the kitchen with two small children to care for. I couldn’t manage the long hours. That’s when I left the culinary field to work in public education.”

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But when the COVID pandemic changed the world in early 2020, and things started shutting down, Tracie’s path shifted again as she lost her job and decided to get back to her roots and original passion. That’s when she learned about the support and resources provided by the DSAL Community Kitchen.

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“I found out about DSAL’s commercial kitchen, applied, and ended up getting in. The price was right, and it was just 20 minutes away from where we were living. That’s where I created the menu for Mama’s Papas—a menu that is 100% authentic to myself. I’m Salvadoran American, and I have a love for island-style culture from my time in Hawaii. I learned how to make kalua pork, added that to my pupusas, and I expanded my menu from there.”

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Today, Mama’s Papas is known for its vibrant, flavorful offerings, including crispy quesatacos with tropical salsa and slaw, street tacos, pupusas with pineapple curtido, and island sliders on King’s Hawaiian rolls.  And if you haven’t tried her signature kalua pork pupusas, which were included in the San Francisco Chronicle’s prestigious list of the best pupusas in the Bay Area, now is the time!
 
“The dish is 100% a reflection of my life experience, my love for my Salvadoran culture, and my love for Hawaiian culture all fused together to create a fresh, new experience with a pupusa.”

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Recently, Tracie learned that she was accepted to transition her successful pop-up business into an even larger dream – a permanent, brick-and-mortar location of her very own in the Birdhaus Beer Garden in Union City.

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“Everything happened so fast, I haven’t had time to breathe! I’m still running a pop-up menu and taking things day by day. In the next few months, I plan to announce an expanded menu, something a lot bigger.”

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Reflecting on her journey, Tracie credits a big part of her success to the support she received from the DSAL Community Kitchen—a crucial stepping stone in her entrepreneurial path.

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“The DSAL Kitchen is a pivotal place in my timeline. I couldn’t do any of the things I’m doing now if it wasn’t for DSAL. I applied for and won a grant that helped me grow, and whenever I had a question, they would respond right away. I tell other business owners that DSAL is a great resource not just because it’s affordable, but because of the hands-on support they provide and how they help small businesses navigate the industry.”

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Now, at the beginning of this new chapter in Tracie’s life, we invite the community to be part of the story – next time you’re in Union City, stop by Mama’s Papas at the Birdhaus Beer Garden. And tell someone you know with culinary dreams about the DSAL Community Kitchen, joining the movement of small, local businesses that are strengthening the fabric of our neighborhoods, one delicious bite at a time.

Check her out @_mamaspapas_ on instagram, or @mamaspapasbayarea on FB.