Enrrique Alejandro makes all his cooking videos in his family’s kitchen.
Courtesy of Xavier Hernandez/@XHPhotography (Enrrique cooking); Shutterstock.com (background)
A Tasty Tradition
This young chef is sharing his family’s story with the world, one recipe at a time.
As You Read, Think About: What are some of your family’s traditions?
Enrrique Alejandro has a special talent. He can turn a meal into a celebration of his Mexican roots.
Enrrique’s love of cooking has helped make him a star on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. The sixth-grader from Chula Vista, California, posts videos that show how to make his favorite recipes. But his videos aren’t just about food—they’re also about family, fun, and feeling proud of who you are.
“Mexican food is special to me,” Enrrique says.
Shocking Discovery
Shutterstock.com
Enrrique grew up eating traditional Mexican cuisine like tamales and enchiladas. But when he was 7, Enrrique was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. The disease prevents his body from making insulin, which controls the level of sugar in the blood. Managing diabetes is a big responsibility. Enrrique worried that his life would never be the same.
“It felt like my whole world was falling apart,” he recalls. “But my mom told me we can just sit here and cry, or we can learn more about it and raise awareness.”
In July 2022, they created his first Diabetic Superkid channel. Enrrique started sharing videos about living with diabetes. One of the biggest challenges is figuring out how certain foods will affect his blood sugar.
Enrrique wasn’t about to give up the foods he loves. Instead, he put on an apron and got to work. With his mom’s help, he learned to cook versions of his favorite meals that make it easier to manage his diabetes.
Honoring His Roots
Courtesy of family
Enrrique’s grandmother Abuelita Magda (left) and Nana Toña joined him to make tortillas for this video.
Before long, Enrrique was posting videos of himself cooking in his family’s kitchen. Today he has hundreds of thousands of followers on social media. They watch as he chops, stirs, and sautées his way through each recipe.
Enrrique’s videos do more than teach viewers how to cook. They also honor his heritage. His family is originally from Tijuana (tee-HWAH-nah), Mexico. His great-grandmother Nana Toña and many cousins still live there. He loves to visit and spend time with them—and eat meals made by Nana Toña.
“I feel connected to Mexico whenever I go,” Enrrique says.
Nana Toña passed down her recipes to Enrrique’s grandmother, then to his mother, and now to him. In his videos, Enrrique shares some of his family’s cooking tricks. One of his favorites is dropping a fork into a pot as he cooks. Nana Toña says the “magic fork” helps meat stay juicy.
Keep Cooking
Courtesy of Xavier Hernandez/@XHPhotography
Enrrique doesn’t just like to cook. He also plays soccer five times a week.
Enrrique tries to post at least one cooking video each week. It’s not always easy while he is juggling school and soccer practice, as well as managing his diabetes. His dream is to one day combine his two greatest passions by opening a soccer-themed restaurant. For now, he hopes to inspire other kids to celebrate their own cultures.
“If your family has something special that they do, you can pass it down,” Enrrique says. “If I can do it, then so can you.”
1. What are some of Enrrique Alejandro’s goals when he makes his cooking videos?
2. Based on the article, where does Enrrique get many of his recipes?
3. What is the purpose of the sidebar, “Mexico in a Minute”?
