Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Fisher.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Hola! I was born Natalie Marie Chavez, (that’s a story for another day). As I grew up, and to this day, I have received the question “What are you?” due to the inability to place me in a box. Because this is such a significant aspect of my story, I will share the answer to that question. I am ethnically half Mexican and half Caucasian. On my Mexican side, I am first generation born here in the United States. My mother (the Caucasian side) lived with my Mexican family for quite sometime before I was born, where she was immersed in a culture of tight-knit familia, traditional foods, dancing, music and an abundance of unconditional love. With my mother’s immediate family being so small, the Chavez family became hers as well. My childhood was dressed in salsa verde, tamales, enchiladas and the smell of sautéing cebollas (onions) and warm tortillas. I have so much love for my family, their incredible work ethic, and their culture. My Spanish isn’t perfect and people often do not know what my ethnicity is, but I know where I came from and the love that exists in that. I fell in love with food from a young age, and that love only continues to expand as myself and my business do.
My family now owns several Mexican restaurants and even a bakery in the Northern part of the U.S, making them a huge inspiration to me and The Loco Coco. I was raised by my mother in a single parent home until she married when I was about eight, but still spent plenty of time with my familia Mexicana. In middle school, my immediate family and I moved to Connecticut, where I felt the sudden need to suppress my cultural identity. I began going to schools that were damn near 100% white and felt that I could not express my true self or show others where I came from. When asked the question I mentioned earlier “what are you?” I would say I was Italian and just got really tan in the Summer. People didn’t really believe me, but I still attempted to ride the white wave.
To this day, I carry a level of shame in knowing that I felt I had to hide who I was out of fear of social rejection. This all changed when I moved to South Carolina and pursued a degree in Public Health. I was finally around people of many colors, and my friend group almost instantly became people of various backgrounds. Diversity made me comfortable with my own culturally mixed identity. I finally felt accepted and liberated. One major driver of this business is not only reclaiming my cultural identity but being genuinely proud of it. I want to spread the message that we should never be ashamed of who we are or where we came from. We can do this through many art forms, but food is the medium I have chosen at this time in my life. I seek to create, express, share and serve, all while preserving my beautiful cultural roots.
SO… how did this turn into The Loco Coco? Well, as a Public Health student, my love of cooking turned into a love of culinary and community nutrition as I came to an understanding of the importance of what we put into our bodies, as well as the disparities that exist among Socio-economic status, race and location when it comes to accessibility to fresh, nutritious foods. Since college, I have worked with non-profit organizations centered around food justice for the community, specifically low-income communities of color. Most recently, I have developed Farm to Table nutrition initiatives with an Urban Farm here in Atlanta. This has involved creating and implementing recipes, curriculums and educating the community on local, conscious cooking. Cooking has become one of my most loved art forms, and I take much joy in turning both classic Mexican and American dishes into plant-based wonder.
Over the past year, I have known that I wanted to branch out on my own to offer catering services, event pop-ups, meal prep, and educational demonstrations to the community. This is what my heart has called me to do, and this vision extends so far beyond just making and selling food. I seek to serve the community and to create spaces where access to nutritious, flavorful food is inclusive of people of all colors, ethnicities, cultures, economic statuses and locations. Food is a language, it is culture, it is intimacy, it is a comfort, it is personal and it is vital. What we put on our plate should be a reflection of who we are and how we value ourselves. I want to see our relationships with food transform, as I fully believe that this has the ability to change many other aspects of our lives. Let’s go locoooooooooooooooooo!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I believe that the majority of the bumps we face along the road are truly ones that we create for ourselves. They largely stem from irrational fears that we have been conditioned to feel by our society. It’s really not entirely our fault, but it sucks. The greatest challenge for me has been owning my identity and being completely comfortable with who I am. I suppressed my Latinidad for many years because I learned from a very young age that it was not wanted, it was not white. I can remember being in middle school, bringing Mexican food to lunch and being made fun of by the other students. I never brought it again as it was now instilled in me that my culture was not worthy. In high school, I never wanted to tan too long, I begged my mom to let me buy green contacts for my dark brown eyes, and I wore my already straight hair even straighter. I did everything that I could to fit in, which I now realize was doing everything I could to be white-passing. It didn’t really work, but I sure tried.
Imagine the message that sent to me and the way that transpired as I continued to grow. I overcame this when I went to college, but the path to getting there, accepting myself and re-embracing my roots was not easy. As women, we are constantly bombarded with images of what is appropriate. We then base our goals for beauty, fashion, education, career paths, and relationships off of these false standards. My dreams, goals, and visions do not necessarily fit into societies mold of “normal” and honestly, I do not care about that anymore. I am who I am, and I know that I feel what I feel for a reason, I create what I create for a reason, and I refuse to ignore the voices inside that guide me to manifest all that I want for myself and for others. I will never suffocate who I was created to be again.
My advice for other women is to talk to yourself, understand yourself, and then stand by yourself. There are always going to be people who doubt you, who don’t understand your vision, and who don’t want you to succeed. My advice is to drop anyone who is toxic and feeds you any negativity. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and your dreams, and ALWAYS believe in yourself. If you don’t believe in yourself, how can you expect anyone else to? I learned it the hard way, but there is truly no greater feeling in the entire world than being you.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with The Loco Coco – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
My life work is my baby. It is always growing, expanding and transforming so long as my being is. I am known as a plant-based, farm to table chef, but I also consider myself to be an educator, an advocate, and a student. At The Loco Coco, we offer plant-based catering, meal prep, educational demonstrations, and event pop-ups. I am also interested in doing more public speaking about conscious eating, local food systems, and culturally appropriate plant-based eating. The food is art, it is culture, it is love, it’s nutritious and it is absolutely delicious! Most of the food that I tend to create is Mexican food, as this is my way of staying connected to my culture and to my family. I transform many traditional Mexican dishes into plant-based versions such as tamales, enchiladas, carnitas, tacos, elote and more!
I am most proud of staying true to myself and my identity through this company. I did not start this company because it’s trendy, hip or because I thought it would make me rich. I nurtured this idea because I wanted to preserve the culture and tradition that is so closely tied with the food that we consume on a daily basis. I also wanted to create Mexican food that is plant-based but does not feel like you’re missing anything–the crema, the sabor, the ‘meat’, I make it all happen! I feel as though when we think of “healthy foods”, local foods, plant-based food, and even sustainability sourced foods, people of color are often left out of that wave and that conversation. These concepts have become exclusive in many ways, and I wanted to create a platform where that does not have to be the case. The areas in the communities that are considered “food deserts” are areas with low access to nutritious foods, and are majority populations of color. This paints the picture that such populations are not worthy of eating well, lack access, and are not given equal opportunity to do so. We do not have to continue to prescribe ourselves to that same painting. We can eat consciously, keep out culture, and live a greater quality of life.
Who have you been inspired by?
The women in my life who have inspired me the most are the women in my family. I was raised by a single mother who did everything that she possibly could to give me the entire world. Her strength, independence, and adaptability have been a major factor in my ability to achieve my dreams. She has always always always supported me, and never told me that there is something I cannot do. Hi mommy, I love you! My tías and my Abuelita are restaurant owners and bakery owners. Everything that they have done has taken impeccable work ethic and paving a path in a country that was not built for them to succeed, does not speak their language, and puts up more barriers than bridges. I am so grateful to have had these role models surrounding me and to continue to now. I have never heard a single one of them complain–literally NEVER. Part of this inspiration also stems from the fact that the women in my family did everything that they did for their own families–to create opportunities that they did not have when they were my age. It is because of them that I am even positioned in a space where I can follow my dreams and truly pave my own way, to be a true trailblazer. I owe everything to them and want only to make these incredible women proud.
Pricing:
- $50 for 3 meals and 3 snacks of plant-based meal prep
- $150 for a catered tostada bar of 15-20 people
- $80 for an educational demonstration
Contact Info:
- Website: thelocococo.com
- Email: thelocococoeats@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelocococo_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelocococoo/
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
