"Sandi Romero's impact on creating and nurturing communities throughout Southern California cannot be measured, but it can be celebrated!
Sandi brings her heart and soul into her work—from building community kitchens to spark innovation and small business, to spreading love and joy with her hand-made Tamales for community events.
She touches everyone she meets with her passion for making the world a better place!"
— Anna Cummins, 5 Gyres: Science to Solutions
Sandi "Mama" Romero has committed her life to her passion to help make the world a better place through her community work and cultural and culinary experiences.
Since the early 90s, she has worked with the City of Los Angeles to work on economic development projects and creating temporary and permanent markets to help transform businesses, community center, neighborhoods, parks, sidewalks and other public and private spaces into family fun and festive places where art, food, music and recreation blend together and create vital and vibrant social and educational experiences.
Such markets often involve tamales which are rich in history and bringing families and neighborhoods together for festive occasions. She works closely with communities throughout Southern California to establish shared kitchens and teaches small business training classes as well as cooking classes.
She was recently selected as a culinary cultural treasure for the City of Los Angeles for her work promoting and preserving cultural traditions through the arts, food and music.
Mama and her team use delicious creative fusion and traditional tamales as the focus of their choreography, bringing together community groups and individuals. Some of the markets Mama and her team establish are temporary and others become permanent locations for transformation in a community.
About "Mama's Team - Her family...
Over the years Mama’s family has become an integral part of the business - making sure that Mama’s legacy continues! We would like to introduce you to the backbone of Mama's Team - Her family.
Her Husband, Jorge Luis Plasencia and Daughter, Christina Michelle Fernandez who have taken lead roles in developing the business - coming up with new and innovative ideas to keep the traditions alive - yet adding a new modern twist/flare to our recipes and menu - such as the fusion tamales and other creative recipes.
Mama’s Grandchildren: Mathieu Oliver Fernandez and Julia Marie Fernandez have been very active in not only learning how to make tamales over the years but helping to develop the social media aspect of the business and assisting at events!
As Mama will always be “Mama” helping with promotional activities – Mama and her Team make sure they continue to prepare the most delicious tamales and best quality foods and beverages in the Nation!
With the involvement of her Family “Mama’s legacy will live for many years to come!