#WCW: Casandra Rosario Finds Her Nuyorican Voice in Food

For food blogger Casandra Rosario, food is life.  No wonder so many eaters in New York City follow her site, Food Before Love.

The blog, a trusted source on all things food and drink, focuses on The Big Apple’s dining scene, but does so in a way to encompass all cuisines and cultures. “Food tells our story,” Rosario, the blog’s founder, explains on the website.

We chatted with the entrepreneur about her passion for food, starting a blog from the bottom up and much more. Read it all in our #WomanCrushWednesday ahead! [pagebreak]

Tell us a little more about your blog, Food Before Love.

Food Before Love is a hub for where and what to eat in NYC and beyond. We cover restaurant reviews, food events, news and sometimes, share recipes,  too. Our community is full of food lovers who are into layered food experiences and of course, put food before almost everything. 

What initially inspired you to create the blog?

I started the blog in 2012, when I was wondering how did I end up at J.P. Morgan Chase with a hospitality and service management degree. I felt strongly about getting back into my industry and I thought started a blog could open doors to take me there, if nothing else, it would be fun. At the time, I was struggling with being underrepresented in media as a millennial woman of color and I felt Food Before Love would be a space for others to be able to identify with. Not to mention, I knew the dining scene well so I knew I could add value!

Has food always been an important part of your life, even growing up?

Food has been very important for me growing up as a Nuyorican, because where there was food, there was family. I think as a Latina, that’s something that goes hand and hand. Too many memories over food have been created in my household and it’s something that always could connect us all, and still does. [pagebreak]

How has your Puerto Rican heritage influenced your love for food? Any favorites you’d like to share?

My mom is still the best Latina chef that I can find in NYC but lately, I’ve been really into family-owned restaurants and street vendors. Vendors like Arepalicious in Queens, and Cascalote Latin Bistro in East Harlem are my faves. However, if you make me a serving of platanos, I’m happy!

You refer to yourself as the “Chief Eating Officer” – a title many are bound to envy. How does it feel to be a female in charge, in such a male-dominated industry? 

It’s intimidating! But at the same time, it’s exhilarating. It moves me to empower and inspire others through my story and I honestly don’t think I could be anything less than a boss. It’s in my DNA to be a leader and now it’s apart of my story, that I know must be shared with others in order to empower them to do the same or better. There’s always going to be backlash when you disrupt to norm especially in a male dominated industry. Not to mention, I’m a Black Latina who has “the nerve” to be proud of it. It can get really hard to deal with people who don’t respect my hustle but that doesn’t hold me back. That’s the exhilarating part. I have a obligation to the legacy I plan to leave behind so I just learn to let it roll of my back.