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Guayaquil's flavors preserved by women entrepreneurs
🇪🇨 Ecuador /Culture & Society

Guayaquil's flavors preserved by women entrepreneurs

From El Comercio · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Guayaquil's culinary scene thrives thanks to entrepreneurial women who preserve the city's authentic flavors.
  • Three women, running establishments for over 20 years, share their inspiring journeys of perseverance and dedication.
  • Ecuador boasts a high female entrepreneurship rate, with women driving significant economic activity.

In Guayaquil, the heart of Ecuador's coastal cuisine beats strongly, powered by the resilience and culinary skill of its women entrepreneurs. As the city celebrates its festivities, the authentic flavors of traditional dishes are kept alive by women who have dedicated decades to their craft. Three such women, Angélica Cujilán of El Pez Volador, María Enriqueta Cevallos of La Menestra de Pocha, and Rosa Amendaño of La Tradicional Resbaladera, exemplify this enduring spirit.

María Enriqueta Cevallos, affectionately known as 'Pochita,' has been the soul of La Menestra de Pocha for over two decades. Her restaurant, which opened in 1998, is a testament to her journey from a novice cook to a celebrated culinary figure. Cevallos, now 70, recalls starting small by selling empanadas from home in 1982, eventually mastering the art of 'menestra' using canary beans sourced exclusively from Guaranda. She dreams of her culinary legacy continuing through future generations while also hoping for a reduction in the extortion-related insecurity affecting local businesses.

Everyone who came in asked for rice with menestra, but back then I wasn't the cook I am today, I didn't even know how to make hot water.

— María Enriqueta CevallosCevallos describes her humble beginnings before establishing her renowned 'menestra' restaurant.

Angélica Cujilán's picantería, El Pez Volador, also boasts over 20 years of history. Cujilán's story is one of unwavering determination and self-reliance, proving that perseverance and a strong character are the key ingredients to success. These women's efforts are part of a larger trend in Ecuador, which, according to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), recorded a female entrepreneurship rate of 33.4% in 2023, one of the highest among 46 surveyed countries. Their businesses are not just food establishments; they are vibrant cultural hubs and powerful engines of economic growth, showcasing the strength of female entrepreneurship in the nation.

With the conviction of getting ahead through my own effort, I opened my picantería El Pez Volador more than 20 years ago.

— Angélica CujilánCujilán reflects on the determination that fueled the launch of her long-standing restaurant.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Comercio in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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