Full Circle: Q&A with Chef Yari Vargas
All photos were taken by Jamie Kelter Davis.
While placing fridges is our bread and butter, we're excited to announce a new initiative from The Love Fridge, Full Circle. Beginning in January, we began partnering with chefs and restaurants in our community to help stock our fridges with delicious and nourishing meals.
This April, we’ve partnered with local Chef Yari Vargas (@CasaYari). Casa Yari made 120 meals for our fridges. Read our exciting Q&A below.
If you’re able, please consider sponsoring the Full Circle initiative.
The Love Fridge: Where are you from?
Chef Yari: Born & raised in Chicago, in the Humboldt park area. My roots are Puerto Rican & Honduran.
TLF: What inspired you to become a Chef?
Chef Yari: I love art! I wanted to elevate our cuisine, to make it look as beautiful as my people, those plates are my canvases. Food is powerful because it speaks to you without words, & their are attachments connected to memories and brings people together. This inspired me to Become a Chef & be connected to people
TLF: What is your favorite meal/food to eat, and also to prepare?
Chef Yari: Tough one! Usually your favorites aren't always the ones you like to prep, instead you prefer it from someone else, that would be chicken & waffle. But what I love to prepare the most is vegan food, just to be able to recreate a dish we grew up with & veganize it is one of my fav things to prepare.
TLF: What kind of foods are your specialty or how would you describe your cuisine?
Chef Yari: It's a mix of Honduran & Puerto Rican food, with my personal twist. Our base are plantains, coconut milk, criollo sauce, rice, veggies & lots of flavors to play with your taste buds . We are definitely known for our mofongo & our unique flan flavors
TLF: What comes to mind when you think of Full Circle?
Chef Yari: Never ending blessings!
TLF: What do you think about the Full Circle Initiative?
Chef Yari: I love it! An initiative to support communities giving to those that feel forgotten & giving support to chefs that are going thru difficult times running their restaurant in the middle of this pandemic, it's fantastic.
TLF: What are you planning on making for Full Circle?
Chef Yari: A few vegan options for sure, & healthy dishes that will include fish & chicken. Definitely a few of my favs for others to enjoy
TLF: What does food mean to you?
Chef Yari: Food means to me power, creates & connects communities, bonds families, speaks to you without words, & nourishes us.
TLF: What does community mean to you?
Chef Yari: Everything!!! Is strength to keep us going, moving forward with protection
TLF: How have you had to adjust your practice because of the pandemic?
Chef Yari: Oh wow! In so many ways. When pandemic first hit only carry out orders were allowed. I had to adjust my entire menu to make it possible for the dishes to last longer & travel well in to-go containers. I had to start all over again, which meant I had to dig more in my roots. Not being able to afford employees due to low business, I had to make a menu I was able to do by myself & prep without getting overwhelmed, I myself am a mother of 2 teenagers, which they had to do virtual learning & was another adjustment to also tackle. I had to get creative, and what I did was do a daily menu which I still continue to do, no food waste & our customers get excited to see something new everyday. Switched hours & open more days to be able to keep our business going. I can proudly say we've stayed opened based on 100% community support.
Find Chef Yari Vargas’s business, Casa Yari, online:
All photos were taken by Jamie Kelter Davis.