“My mother and grandmother used to sell food in front of our building in Brooklyn in the 60’s.”
My journey started when I was a kid. Growing up in a Puerto Rican home, you are taught to make rice at an early age. I remember watching my mother cook for our entire family – and for the neighborhood. My mother and grandmother used to sell food in front of our building in Brooklyn in the 60’s.
I come from a long line of cooks, it’s in my blood. I grew up like most Latino children, on rice, beans and chicken. I remember as I got older, being so annoyed that we were eating this meal “again” that it sparked creativity in me to try something new with our food. My goal then (and still) was to make traditional Puerto Rican food with a twist and fuse other cultures with ours.
This is what led us to become vendors at some of the hottest food markets in NYC. Now we are even featured in the Queens International Night market’s cookbook, “The World Eats Here”.
Thank you for tonight’s brilliant pernil y arroz con gandules. Your pique is fantastic – a reminder of my Titi Lucy introducing me to the concept of spice with her vinegar/pepper mix well over 30 years ago. Those flavors nourish me and make me feel at home.
I wish you the best and look forward to enjoying more of your food.
Unbeatable prices and unbeatable recipes and they deliver!! You will NOT regret ordering from Cocotaso and you might become addicted to her food! Chef Frances is the best!!!!!
Trust me when I say you will want to try everything on her menu. She is a perfectionist and absolutely loves what she does. She portrays that in each and every dish!
Cocotazo is my go to for authentic Puerto Rican food! Chef Frances will have you thinking you are back in home in PR in your abuela’s house eating her cooking. Her pastelles, alcapurrias, pernil, rellenos de papa…everything is to die for!
Delicious food! There hasn’t been a thing I’ve tried that wasn’t on point! From the pastelon (which I normally do not like), to pasteles to the pernil – it’s everything you could ask for.
This food is for sure made with fresh ingredients, and most importantly LOVE!
