In the Kitchen with Becky Gonzalez

After moving to Jacksonville from Miami, Becky Gonzalez missed Cuban food, going to bakeries for coffee and pastries and especially the camaraderie. She wanted to create a special place where people are treated like family, share their stories, enjoy a cafecito and taste the flavors of Cuban culture. Gonzalez opened 1928 Cuban Bistro on Baymeadows Road in 2019 partly because of her love of Cuban food but also as a tribute to her grandparents. “My earliest and fondest memories were the family getting together in their home,” says Gonzalez. “I remember the laughter, the love, the family and the food. The aromas from the kitchen were unbelievable and we all waited for the meal to be served.” After developing a loyal following, Gonzalez has since opened three more locations, with a fifth 1928 Cuban Bistro in the works. We caught up with her in her home kitchen to learn more about her background and where her love of cooking originated.

What is a memory you have of some food that was a part of your family gatherings?

Growing up in Miami, at almost every gathering we had guava pastries and ham croquetas from a local Cuban bakery. The kitchen smelled like garlic, onions and pork roasting in the oven, leaving everyone anxious for dinner. Everyone would gather around the kitchen talking, laughing and catching up on life. My grandmother always had a big smile on her face, usually just observing the family she had created. I could always tell she had a sense of peace knowing one day when she's gone, she did her job by keeping the family together.

Where did you learn to cook Cuban food?

This is funny, but my grandmother was actually not a cook at all; she's probably the only Cuban grandmother I know who can't cook, which was always a big joke in the family. I owe my love of cooking to my husband. Being around my mother in the kitchen and my husband's grandmother really inspired how I cook today. My husband's grandmother Adela is the most amazing cook ever. She is 95 years old and still wakes up early to begin cooking for the day; she is truly an inspiration.

I learned how to create dishes true to my culture and fuse together the American part of me. Learning from all these women in my younger life was a wonderful experience because not only did I learn how to cook and add ingredients to enhance the flavor of the food but also the warmth and togetherness cooking really brought to the family. When complimenting my mom for a particular food she cooked, she would say the secret ingredient to any meal is cooking with love.

What led you to open 1928 Cuban Bistro?

I opened 1928 as a tribute to my grandparents because they were the epitome of honorable and moral people. They came from Cuba in 1961 and instilled in us a love, gratitude and loyalty towards this country. My grandfather was always a positive influence in my life with a caring attitude and my grandmother was a force of nature. She was a strong woman who loved her family and let you know you can accomplish anything in life. Actually 1928 is the year my grandfather was born; there is pink all around the restaurant because that was his favorite color and on the wall there’s a song that he always sang to my grandmother at every gathering.

What I do, I do because I know my grandparents would approve. They are my metric on how I measure my conduct, my life and I pray I am making them proud.

What are your 5 favorite ingredients to use and why?

My top favorite ingredients would have to be olive oil, garlic, white onions, culantro (not cilantro) and Goya's Adobo seasoning. I love the aroma of a good sofrito and I use these ingredients to create that. Culantro has an intense flavor and is an amazing herb usually used in Caribbean dishes. I really enjoy using culantro to add flavor to soups, beans and marinades.