Nibbles: New cookbook celebrates Colorado’s immigrant chefs redefining local cuisine

Like all good cookbooks, the newly published “Sazón & Liberation” shows readers how to cook, from making salsas to filling empanadas and pupusas. 

The Colorado chefs whose recipes are featured are heavy culinary hitters who have earned Michelin stars, James Beard nominations and “Top Chef” appearances. Some own multiple eateries and are eagerly sought for food festival appearances.  

According to Julia Roncoroni, director of Denver’s Cocina Libre, which published “Sazón & Liberation,” all are also immigrants to the U.S.  

“There is a lot of fear around personal safety and family separation among the chefs and their families. You’re wary of going to work, you’re wary of being at work, you’re wary of the return home every day. You know people who have been taken away,” Roncoroni says.

“Some of the chefs who have worked with us wonder if they’re even going to be there themselves.”

Roncoroni, the psychologist and associate professor at the University of Denver who conceived and launched Cocina Libre in 2024, aims to humanize Colorado’s immigrants and refugee cooks.

The first cookbook, “Cocina Libre: Immigrant Resistance Recipes,” sold over 900 copies and prompted an ambitious sequel, according to Roncoroni.

For “Sazón & Liberation,” Roncoroni’s team sought successful immigrant chefs and entrepreneurs. “We wanted to explore how food helps them build their identity, build community, and have a sense of hope,” she says. 

A dream team of innovative Colorado chefs volunteered to participate in the project, sharing deeply personal tales as well as cherished dishes.

Topping the bill is Byron Gomez, the Costa Rica-born executive chef of Denver’s Michelin-starred Brutø, part of Boulder’s Id Est Group. He is joined by Dana Rodriguez, the celebrated owner of Work&Class and Carne, and famously the executive chef at Casa Bonita. Other contributors include Manny Barella of Riot BBQ and Edwin Sandoval of Xatrucho. 

The well-designed and photographed volume features 17 first-generation chefs representing 10 nations, including Venezuela, Honduras, Costa Rica and El Salvador. The stories and recipes are organized under themes like community building, resistance and resilience.

The dishes include Barbacoa Tongue Sopes from René Méndez, originally from Mexico City, and Pino Empanadas from Chile-born Mayra Chacón. Ethiopian-born caterer Kidist Woldemariam contributes classic recipes for Ful and Shiro Wot.

Esly Divas, the Guatemalan-born owner of Longmont’s Chí Kapé Café, shares four recipes, including a hibiscus-pineapple drink and seafood soup. 

The Cocina Libre efforts have had practical results beyond the visibility provided by the books and films. Events with the chefs, including workshops, cooking classes and book sales, provide funds for training and licensing Colorado food entrepreneurs, according to Roncoroni.

“We just finished training our first cohort of eight chefs and food entrepreneurs at Mi Casa Resource Center,” she says.

An additional benefit is the opportunity for new immigrants to connect with seasoned veterans. 

“The chefs have told me: ‘I’ve been mentored. Now it’s my time to pay it forward.’ Having someone like Dana Rodriguez talk to them is precious. She tells them: ‘When I showed up, I didn’t have money for the bus. I didn’t have childcare and look where I’m at,’” Roncoroni says. 

Pulling together a cookbook and documentary has been one of those it-takes-a-village efforts, sparked by surprising help from campus and community volunteers and donors. 

“It’s been amazing. The executive producer of ‘South Park’ found out what we were doing and volunteered to film our second documentary,” she says.

The short “Sazón & Liberation” documentary features chefs like Rodriguez, Barella and Gomez talking about their journeys. The film’s interviews and visits to their kitchens were recorded primarily in Spanish, shown with English subtitles.

According to Roncoroni, “Sazón & Liberation” will be screened Feb. 23 and April 20, 2026 at the Museum of Boulder during the “Boulder Eats — Food Traditions Along the Front Range” exhibit. 

Besides being a mentor to immigrants, Julia Roncoroni is also an immigrant to the U.S. from Argentina. “Immigrants are not going to stop coming to the U.S. No. We’ll always find a way,” she says.

“Sazón & Liberation” is available in English and Spanish editions at the Boulder Bookstore, on Amazon and through Cocina Libre.

What’s John eating this week?

Boulder’s under-the-radar black pepper chicken takeout door

Once a week, for two hours only — Wednesdays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. — cars pull up to an unmarked door in an obscure North Boulder business park.

Workers emerge with bright orange bags and the visitors rush away. These are the few, the lucky, the folks who crave the black pepper chicken bowl from Hundy’s. 

Hundy’s is a small Indian food business that operates out of a commercial prep kitchen at 2825 Wilderness Place, Suite 500, next door to Shamane’s Bakery.

Hundy’s supplies scratch-cooked, chilled (not frozen) Indian meals, mainly for delivery, with a grab-and-go option open Wednesday evenings.

The Hundy’s menu is quite brief, but also quite distinctive, using classic techniques that infuse the ingredients with herbs and spices. 

The Kolkata-style biriyani rice dishes are cooked (not just topped) with chicken or vegan.

My reheat-and-eat chicken cinnamon curry was packed with savory ground chicken thigh and vegetables in a craveable, highly aromatic sauce that plumped up the steamed rice.

My first taste of Hundy’s black pepper chicken just made me smile with its sheer depth of flavor. The pieces of boneless chicken thigh are juicy, fall-apart tender and infused with dark soy sauce and minced garlic. Three peppers — black, white and cayenne — gave the dish a memorable level of heat. It’s a sophisticated warmth, not scorching habanero hot.

Hundy’s delivers preorders twice a week, on Wednesday and Friday evenings in Boulder. Vegan biryani is also available in returnable containers at Boulder’s Nude Foods Market.

Local food news 

Knights of the rolling pin find flour at Boulder’s King Arthur popup

King Arthur Baking Company has opened a popup shop at 1638 Pearl Street. Open through Jan. 18, the Boulder location offers a full range of flours, mixes, a gluten-free section and utensils. Special events include free Sweet & Salty Kids Activity Days on Oct. 18, Nov. 8 and Dec. 6.

See King Arthur’s detailed advice on high-altitude baking.

Openings

• Boulder’s Kalita Grill has opened a second location at 801 S. Public Road in Lafayette, dishing up gyros, falafel, shawarma wraps, Greek salad and baklava.
• Double D’s Sourdough Pizzeria has opened a new location inside Gravity Brewing at 1150 Pine Street in Louisville.
• Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse has opened a pop-up bar at 1303 Empire Road in Louisville while the company’s state-of-the-art facility is being built onsite.

Culinary calendar 

• Boulder’s Food Lab offers a Nov. 10 Kids Thanksgiving Baking Workshop making pumpkin hand pies, apple strudel and cinnamon cider. Registration: foodlabboulder.com.
• Jack’s Solar Garden in Longmont hosts a Lamb Harvesting and Processing Class on Dec. 6. Registration email: sandgcharcuterie@gmail.com.

Deep food thoughts 

A holiday for sugar-deprived children

“I wasn’t allowed to have sugar as a kid. We didn’t have candy or soda or anything, so Easter and Halloween were my favorite times ’cause I could eat as much candy as I wanted.” – Actor Kaley Cuoco, co-star of “The Big Bang Theory”