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ORAL HISTORY
Alicia Villanueva
Alicia's Tamales los Mayas
Growing up in Mazatlán, Mexico, Alicia Villanueva learned to cook at the heels of her mother and grandmother. They taught her how to make tamales and instilled in her a great appreciation for Mayan culture.
Before coming to the U.S., Alicia worked in the tourism industry in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. Upon relocating to San Francisco in 2000, she needed a way to support her family. Inspired to share her pride for her Mexican heritage and her passion for connecting to people through food, Alicia began selling her homemade tamales. At first, she sold them door to door. Then she set up a table outside of her church. In 2010, at the age of forty-nine, she launched Alicia’s Tamales los Mayas with the slogan “My tamales are stuffed with love, and the best people are stuffed with my tamales.” She offers a variety of tamales, from the best-selling chicken to a vegetarian version created for her Bay Area clientele.
Today, Alicia is not only able to support her own family, but a team of six women who help her make almost 3,000 tamales every week.