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It’s no secret that food is more than just something we eat. It’s the stories we tell, the memories we hold, and the legacy we pass down. At the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, that truth comes alive on Feb. 9 with the opening of “Abuelita’s Kitchen: Mexican Food Stories.” It’s an exhibit like no other — one that celebrates the soul of Mexican and Mexican-American culture through the hands and hearts of grandmothers who have kept their culinary traditions alive for generations.
This immersive exhibit invites you to dive into the heart of Mexican cuisine and the traditions it carries with it. Local Fort Worth favorites — Los Vaqueros, Tokyo Cafe, Don Artemio, and Birrieria y Taqueria Cortez — are a part of this experience, sharing their own stories and artifacts that highlight how deeply Mexican food has become woven into the fabric of the city. These restaurants have long been pillars of Fort Worth’s culinary scene, adding a uniquely local flavor to an exhibit that speaks to a much larger cultural tapestry.
But this exhibit is about more than food. It’s about identity. It’s about the quiet strength of women who have shaped the kitchens and the culture of their communities. The stories of ten extraordinary grandmothers — Indigenous, Mestiza, Mexican-American, and Afro-Mexican — unfold in a way that feels deeply personal yet universally connective. Their dishes — chiles en nogada, mole, tamales, pozole — are more than just food. They are stories of immigration, resilience, love, and the bonds that tie families and communities together across time and space.
Through documentary films, photographs, personal artifacts, and, of course, the family recipes that have traveled with these women from Mexico to Southern California and beyond, “Abuelita’s Kitchen” offers a window into the kitchens where these cherished dishes have been passed down, lovingly prepared, and transformed over the years. Each recipe carries with it not just flavor, but history — each bite a memory, each flavor a connection to a place called home.
This heartfelt exhibit was created by USC professor Sarah Portnoy, with support from California Humanities and LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. It’s touring through Exhibit Envoy, a nonprofit organization dedicated to sharing cultural stories through traveling exhibitions.
Beyond the plates and the ingredients, “Abuelita’s Kitchen” sheds light on the often-overlooked contributions of Mexican and Mexican-American women. It acknowledges the shared challenges they’ve faced as immigrants — women whose voices have too often gone unheard. This exhibit is about more than culinary impact; it’s about the strength of community, the power of identity, and how food tells the stories of those who may not have always been seen but whose influence has been felt in every kitchen, every meal, every gathering.
A highlight of the exhibit is the opportunity for the Fort Worth community to contribute their own family recipes. The museum invites visitors to share their personal food stories, which will be collected and compiled into a community cookbook available to the public when the exhibit concludes. It’s a reminder that food is a universal language — one that connects us all, no matter where we come from or where we’re going.
“Abuelita’s Kitchen” opens on Feb. 9, with a special Member preview from noon to 1 p.m. and public access from 1 p.m. onward. The exhibit is included with general museum admission, which is $14 for seniors, $16 for adults, $12 for juniors, and free for children under two. Tickets can be reserved online at www.fwmuseum.org.