Our next chef residency at Patio Tropical is happening on Saturday, May 10th,
Un Weekend en la Frontera—a collaboration dinner inspired by the rich, overlapping flavors of the Colombian-Venezuelan Caribbean border.

At the heart of this one-night event are Chef Jesus Villalobos (Titi’s Empanadas, Cachapas y Más) and Chef Stephanie Bonnin (La TropiKitchen), two chefs whose cooking reflects the shared histories, migrations, and everyday meals of life along their Caribbean borders. Jesus, born in Queens and raised in Maracaibo, brings the comfort and crunch of street foods like tequeños, empanadas, and arepitas—dishes tied to memory and movement. Stephanie, born in Barranquilla, reimagines Caribbean and Indigenous Colombian traditions with soul, scholarship, and sabor.
Together, they’re celebrating the deep cultural ties between these two nations through food. Expect Wayuu shrimp empanadas, arepas with asado negro, and rompe colchón—a borderland-style seafood medley known to revive even the sleepiest of souls.

This dinner isn’t just a meal—it’s a tribute to the flavors that connect us.
Taste the frontera! 

BUY TICKETS HERE

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