The Brief
- Margarita moved from Puerto Rico to Orlando in 1979 with her eight children, bringing family recipes and her faith with her.
- Her son, Abdiel De Jesus, turned those recipes into Mi Casa Kitchen in Longwood.
- At 89, Margarita still works alongside her son, watching him carry on the family legacy.
LONGWOOD, Fla. – Before there was a restaurant, there was a mother, eight children, and a kitchen filled with the flavors of Puerto Rico.
For Abdiel Dejesus, that is where the story of Mi Casa Kitchen begins. His mother, Margarita, moved from Puerto Rico to Orlando in 1979 with her eight children.
He says she came looking for a better life for her family.
A mother’s recipes
Margarita brought the recipes passed down from her own mother. They were the dishes Abdiel grew up eating with flavors tied to family, memories and home.…