NOT AVAILABLE DURING THE VIRTUAL ENCORE FESTIVAL.
Each screening will feature limited drinks tastings from Corazón Cafe
SAT APRIL 27 – 1:30PM FREMONT – Post-screening discussion moderated by Dr. Mario Alberto Viveros Espinoza-Kulick with Chef Candice Custodio(Club SupSup), Claudia Olsen (Islay Manor Vacation Rental), Ariette Armella (Gastronomic Journalist and Photographer) Pedro Arias Lopez & Crescencio Villar (Owners, Corazón Cafe)
ENCORE SUN MAY 5 – 1:00PM PASO – Post-screening discussion moderated by Dr. Mario Alberto Viveros Espinoza-Kulick with Chef Candice Custodio(Club SupSup), Ariette Armella (Gastronomic Journalist and Photographer), Pedro Arias Lopez & Crescencio Villar(Owners, Corazón Cafe) also enjoy tacos from Barrios Tacos!
Corazon Café Special – Frijoles Cuatatapa (sopa de frijoles)
This is a simple yet rich and earthy black bean soup with nopales, red onions, dried pasilla & guajillo chillies and epazote leaves
“This special is inspired by the nostalgia of my childhood in Guerrero and also the people of San Lucas Xochimanca in Mexico City. In Guerrero we also know it as Frijoles con Carne. I am proud to present this simple dish full of flavors.” – Chef Chencho
At Corazon Café FRI APRIL 26 – SUN APRIL 28 this special can be served vegetarian or “con carne”.
LEARN MORE:
CHEF CANDICE CUSTODIO
A Cal Poly SLO Alumni, Chef Candice Custodio is a Los Angeles native, now permanently residing on the Central Coast. She has been featured on the Food Network’s Chopped and is a James Beard Legacy Network Cohort Alumni, 2023-24. She is currently the Chef at Kindred Oak Farm in Paso Robles as well as the owner and operator of Club SupSup, a latin inspired 8-seat monthly supper club.
ARIETTE ARMELLA
With over 15 years of experience, Ariette Armella is a seasoned professional photographer and dynamic communication & public relations specialist dedicated to promoting Mexican gastronomy. From her beginnings with Expedición 1808 in 2008 to her role as Photography Editor for Time Out Mexico, Ariette’s journey has been defined by her passion for showcasing Mexico’s culinary richness. Collaborating with esteemed publications and restaurants, she has earned recognition for her work. As ACERMEX’s Communications & Public Relations Manager, Ariette played a pivotal role in spotlighting Mexican Craft Beer, establishing herself as a trusted voice in the industry. Through Salicornia, she continues to captivate audiences with her storytelling and photography, reaffirming her commitment to Mexico’s culinary heritage. Now based in San Luis Obispo, Ariette’s blend of creativity and strategic thinking celebrates the diverse flavors and traditions of Mexican cuisine.
PEDRO ARIAS LÓPEZ & CRESCENCIO HERNÁNDEZ VILLAR
Pedro Arias López was born in Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capital of Chiapas in southern Mexico, and moved to the area 16 years ago with his wife, Sara, who is a central coast native. His parents made pan dulce- Mexican sweetbread- which he helped bake in their backyard oven and they later went on to sell tamales. He worked his way up in positions at iconic local restaurant Big Sky Cafe for 15 years while raising a family and learning a new language. Pedro started a taco catering business six years ago with his friend Chencho, making hand made tortillas and is now co-owner of Corazon Cafe.
Crescencio Hernández Villar was born in rural Guerrero and moved to California at age 17. He is a dad of 5, including a Cal Poly grad, and has worked at several well-known, area restaurants, most recently as chef and kitchen manager at the renowned Novo for 10 years. Together with Pedro they founded Corazon 805 Tacos catering and then opened Corazon cafe in 2023.
CLAUDIA OLSEN
Born and raised in Oaxaca, Mexico, Claudia Cabrera Olsen became a passionate advocate of inclusivity, community service, and Mexican culture. Her appreciation for indigenous homemade food started when she was a kid. Her family in Oaxaca has the honor of knowing personally some of the chefs and Mezcal makers that were interviewed in The Michoacán File film. Claudia’s sister Pilar is a chef and owns a restaurant and cooking school in Oaxaca.
In Oaxaca, Claudia studied law and worked as a Spanish instructor at the Instituto Cultural Oaxaca. In addition, she worked at her family’s Temazcal (traditional steam bath) performing cleansing rituals where she learned to love her heritage and the power of service. In 1999, her life underwent a major transformation as she married her husband Jon and moved to San Luis Obispo, California, where she enrolled at Cuesta College ESL Program to learn English. She soon began to work as a bilingual classroom assistant at Pacheco Elementary School. For the last 20 years, she has collaborated with the Dia de los Muertos Team at Wilshire Hospice and other organizations. In 2018, she created the “Amor Eterno Photo Booth” where local youth dress up as the iconic Dia de Los Muertos skeletons.
Claudia has been invited to speak about Dia de los Muertos at Los Osos Middle School, Old Mission School, Pacheco Elementary School, Cal Poly, the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, and the SLO Chamber of Commerce’s Good Morning SLO. Since 2021, she has been the co-advisor for the Pots to Plates Project.
In 2022, another major transformation occurred as Claudia became a Breast Cancer warrior. She is currently cancer-free and an advocate for breast cancer awareness and early diagnosis.
Claudia and her husband are raising their two daughters in San Luis Obispo where they run an Airbnb and homestay business called Islay Manor.
DR.MARIO ALBERTO VIVEROS ESPINOZA-KULICK
Dr. Mario Alberto Viveros Espinoza-Kulick is an Ethnic Studies Instructor at Cuesta College and Mellon/American Council of Learned Societies Community College Faculty Fellow. He is a Queer, Mixed-Race, Purépecha scholar-activist, author, and poet. Dr. Espinoza-Kulick earned two AA degrees from Cuesta College and a BA in Ethnic Studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo before completing his MA and PhD in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Dr. Espinoza-Kulick has co-authored two Open Educational Resource textbooks, Introduction to Ethnic Studies and New Directions in Chicanx and Latinx Studies, which are available for free online on LibreTexts. Outside the classroom he serves on the Boards of Access Support Network and R.A.C.E. Matters SLO and hosts Central Coast Voices on KCBX. His dedication to advancing Chicanx and Latinx health equity is inspired by his family on California’s Central Coast and in Michoácan, Mexico.
