Today we’d like to introduce you to Zoraida Hernandez.
Zoraida, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
As a native Houstonian with a Mexican mother and Salvadorian father, I definitely experienced a blend of cultures and tasted different meals like Mexican pozole, Salvadorian pupusas and good ole Texas barbeque. I grew up listening to my grandfather tell stories about the time he owned a restaurant in Mexico. I also remember watching my grandmother cooking and making the house smell of onions, garlic and cumin. At the same time, I would rush to the TV to see what they were cooking on the Food Network that day. I really appreciated the art of cooking and definitely considered being a chef, so much so that I was excited that my high school had a culinary program for aspiring chefs. I completed the program and was ServSafe certified.
Then, my father started a tour company in Houston so I would help by providing tours of Houston. The more I interacted with visitors from all over the world, the more I found joy in sharing my city and creating memorable moments for them. I knew I wanted to study a field that merged the culinary world with tourism, also known as the hospitality industry.
Thankfully, one of the top 10 colleges for hospitality in the U.S. was in Houston. I began my studies at the Conrad N. Hilton College for Hotel and Restaurant Management at the University of Houston and I was blown away by the many career paths within the hospitality industry.
By graduation, I had completed internships with a wedding planning company, the Tourism Department at the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Walt Disney World. I was torn on what hospitality path to take after graduation, but ultimately, I decided to start my career as an event professional in hotels as I could continue to meet guests from around the world and provide that memorable moment.
For the past six years, I have worked in Houston’s top hotels and loved showcasing Houston’s diversity, great food scene, and of course, southern hospitality with my guests. I have also realized how lucky we are to live in a city where you can learn about different cultures while tasting meals from more than 70 countries. So, I started A Tasteful Trip, a food and travel blog to showcase our city’s restaurants, encourage locals to rediscover their city, give back to our community, and share my favorite recipes.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road, but it has definitely been worth it. Being first generation American and first born in my family, I always took into consideration the sacrifices my family had to make to give us a better life in the U.S. I had to become a leader and set an example for my two younger sisters.
It is no secret that the hospitality industry can be tough with long hours, instances with disrespectful guests, and unprecedented occurrences like what we are facing now with COVID-19. As many people and industries including the hospitality industry being severely affected, I knew I had to do more to help my community. I began donating what I could to local non-profit organizations that offer meals to those affected including healthcare providers and supporting local restaurants. I began listing all the nonprofits and restaurants needing help on A Tasteful Trip’s Instagram to spread the word. Although we are not in the clear regarding COVID-19, I know we are slowly but surely going to overcome this crisis.
Please tell us about A Tasteful Trip.
A Tasteful Trip is a food and travel blog where I share food adventures, one trip at a time. I focus on visiting the many areas of Houston to showcase the diversity in cuisine that our city has to offer. As vast as Houston is, you can definitely make a trip out of going to visit a barbeque restaurant on the other side of town. My goal is to have locals rediscover their city and learn about different cultures by tasting great food. I am most proud knowing that I am supporting local businesses and sharing the importance of supporting.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
The only thing that comes to mind if I were to start over would be to be less hard on myself. Everything happens for a reason and at the time it is supposed to happen. I am proud of my work ethic, integrity, and compassion towards others. I thank my parents for showing me what hard work and dedication looks like and to my fiancé for always supporting me in anything I set my mind to.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.atastefultrip.com
- Email: atastefultrip@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/atastefultrip
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/atastefultrip
- Other: www.pinterest.com/atastefultrip
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