A little over twenty years after releasing his first cookbook, Chef Aarón Sánchez is returning to the barrios to explore their flavors and celebrate their people in La Comida del Barrio con Aarón Sánchez on October 15th, exclusively here on COCINA. The truth is, though, he never really left. For him, el barrio is more than just a neighborhood—it’s family. And for the first episode premiering in two weeks, he’s starting with a capital “B”: Boyle Heights.

Boyle Heights: A Neighborhood with Deep Roots

Boyle Heights is one of Los Angeles’ most storied neighborhoods. Originally known as Paredón Blanco during Mexican rule, it grew into a hub of immigrant life in the early 20th century, home to Jewish, Japanese, Russian, and Italian families before becoming a predominantly Mexican American and Latino community after World War II.

Today, Boyle Heights is recognized as one of the cultural epicenters of Chicano and Latin identity. The neighborhood’s murals, music, and—most of all—its food reflect generations of resilience and creativity. In other words, La Comida del Barrio here is not just about eating; it’s about memory, survival, and celebration.

Every Corner Tells a Story in “La Comida del Barrio”

As Chef Aarón puts it:

“They say every neighborhood has its own flavor, but in Boyle Heights, it’s a lot more. It’s about the fight, it’s about the people, it’s about the soul.”

To bring that point home, the first episode takes viewers through some of the neighborhood’s most iconic food spots. He stops at a café established back in 1956, still serving massive burritos worthy of a capital “B” for Boyle Heights. Then it’s on to a beloved taquería specializing in tacos guisados, owned by a local family rooted in the neighborhood since the late 1960s. And finally, he visits a Jalisco-style seafood food truck that proves—like Aarón says—“just because it’s coming from a food truck, doesn’t mean it can’t be beautifully plated.”

As one restaurant owner notes in the episode that premieres here on COCINA October 15th, Boyle Heights is the kind of place where “everybody knows each other.” Walk down César Chávez Boulevard, and you might find yourself handed a handmade tamale. It’s a reminder that food here doesn’t just come from kitchens or trucks—it comes from the community itself.

La Comida del Barrio: Then and Now

This new series also feels like a natural continuation of Aarón Sánchez’s first book, La Comida del Barrio: Latin-American Cooking in the U.S.A.. That book was one of the earliest celebrations of Latin American home cooking in the United States, spotlighting dishes that told the story of migration, adaptation, and identity. Two decades later, La Comida del Barrio con Aarón Sánchez will bring those themes to life on screen, giving voice not just to recipes but to the people behind them.

With Boyle Heights as its opening act, the series sets the tone for what’s to come: a celebration of neighborhoods where food is the gateway to culture, history, and resilience. La Comida del Barrio here is not a side dish—it’s the main story.

What’s on the Menu on La Comida Del Barrio

Real stories from the folks who’ve kept their neighborhoods alive and flavorful.
A mix of classics and under-the-radar spots—think old-school cafés, taquerías, and family-run food trucks.
Dishes that aren’t just tasty, but plated with heart and pride.
A reminder that the barrio isn’t only a place—it’s a vibe, a family, and a whole lot of soul.

With La Comida del Barrio con Aarón Sánchez, the barrio itself takes center stage. Each dish tells a story of heritage, each kitchen carries history, and each conversation reaffirms what Chef Aarón has long believed: that the flavors of the barrio are inseparable from the people who make them.

And Boyle Heights is just the beginning.

Check out the first episode of La Comida del Barrio con Aarón Sánchez on COCINA on October 15th, and see which local food spots made the cut!

La Comida Del Barrio

Tacos, Trucks, and Tradition: Aarón Sánchez Digs Into La Comida del Barrio PREMIERING 10/15

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