Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) celebrated unanimous Senate passage of their resolution recognizing September 22, 2023, through October 3, 2023, as Hispanic Restaurant Week. To commemorate this recognition, Bennet stopped at a Hispanic-owned restaurant in Grand Junction, Colorado, last weekend.
“Hispanic Restaurant Week recognizes the significant contributions of Hispanic restaurant owners and workers to Colorado’s and the country’s economy, and celebrates the profound influence of the Hispanic culinary tradition on our national palette,” said Bennet. “I’m grateful for my colleagues’ bipartisan support for this resolution, and I look forward to working with them to support entrepreneurs and workers in the Latino community.”
“Texas is home to thousands of Hispanic-owned restaurants and employees who play an important role in the economy,” said Cornyn. “I’m proud to support this resolution in celebration of Hispanic-owned and operated restaurants and their valuable contributions to the restaurant industry.
“Growing up in a Cuban household and living in Texas means I can confidently say that there is nothing better than Latino food. From my abuela’s empanadas and picadillo to ropa vieja to beef enchiladas and pork tamales to queso flameado con chorizo to flan or tres leches cake, there’s nothing like Hispanic cuisine,” said Cruz. “And in ever part of Texas—from the Rio Grand Valley to deep East Texas—there is one thing that’s present in every neighborhood, the local Hispanic restaurant. No one values Latino cuisine more than Texans, which is why I’m proud to support the Hispanic Restaurant Week Resolution to ensure that the men and women who work tirelessly to bring us the best food get the recognition they deserve.”
“The Hispanic Restaurant Association (HRA) is dedicated to addressing the unique challenges faced by individuals of Hispanic descent in the restaurant industry. These challenges can include limited resources, cultural and language barriers, making it difficult for Hispanic restaurant owners and staff to thrive. We provide a roadmap for success for the resilient members of the hospitality community,” said HRA co-founder John Jaramillo. “The most important aspect is helping build successful businesses and highlighting the vast contributions of the Latin community to the food service industry in the USA.”
The restaurant industry is the second-largest private employer in the United States, and a quarter of restaurant industry workers are Hispanic. This designation celebrates and honors the contributions of Hispanic restaurant owners and employees in the nationwide restaurant industry. The senators’ resolution is the first national commemoration of Hispanic Restaurant Week, which takes place during Hispanic Heritage Month.
In addition to Bennet, Cornyn, Hickenlooper, and Cruz, the resolution is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.). U.S. Representatives Yadira Caraveo (D-Colo.) and Tony Gonzalez (R-Texas) introduced a companion resolution in the House of Representatives.
The effort to secure a resolution was driven by the Hispanic Restaurant Association with support from community sponsors Door Dash, Remy Martin, Texas Restaurant Association, Where Food Comes From and The Colorado Beef Council, with support from dozens of other supporters.
The text of the resolution is available HERE.