[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 115 (Wednesday, July 13, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E721]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF BARRIO CAFE

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                           HON. RUBEN GALLEGO

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 13, 2022

  Mr. GALLEGO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 20th 
anniversary of Barrio Cafe. Since 2002, Barrio Cafe has been a Phoenix 
institution, serving up world-renowned Mexican food and promoting 
Mexican American arts and culture.
  Barrio Cafe was founded by Chef Silvana Salcido Esparza and her 
business partner, Wendy Gruber. Chef Silvana grew up in the Central 
Valley of California, learning to cook at her grandmother's side and in 
her family's bakery. Since opening Barrio Cafe, she has been featured 
in Sunset Magazine, Esquire Magazine, and Food Network's Diners, Drive 
Ins and Dives, and she has been a finalist for the James Beard Award. 
Now, she is mentoring the next generation of chefs and small business 
owners.
  Chef Silvana is also a community leader in her own right. She has 
tirelessly advocated for the rights of all in Arizona and has worked to 
feed those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her leadership and 
vision have transformed a stretch of 16th Street into `Calle 16,' a hub 
for local economic development, flourishing with Mexican art, murals, 
culture, and food.
  For 20 years, Chef Silvana and the Barrio Cafe have embodied `comida 
chingona'. I am lucky to get to call Chef Silvana and Wendy friends, 
and I wish them all the best on 20 more years of Barrio Cafe.

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