Roberto Mendoza has cooked for some of the most important people in the world.
“Clinton, Bush, Obama, Biden, Trump,” Mendoza recalled.
He’s used those same talents to feed the hungry through an organization he created, The Chef Heaven’s Kitchen. A $250,000 win on a North Carolina Education Lottery “Hit $500” scratch- off ticket in 2019 helped him feed thousands.
“When I won the lottery, my dream came true,” Mendoza said. “That money helped me donate 64,000 meals in North Carolina during the pandemic and another 60,000 meals in El Salvador, thanks to the North Carolina Lottery.”
Mendoza’s passion to feed the hungry can be traced back to his experiences growing up in El Salvador during a time of war.
“Talking about war is not easy,” Mendoza said. “When I was 14 years old, I went to bed with no food because of the war.
With the help of the Salvation Army, Mendoza was able to escape, fleeing to Canada. Mendoza eventually made his way to Los Angeles and made a name for himself as a chef.
Even while enjoying massive success as a chef, Mendoza had bigger goals of giving back to others in the same situation he grew up in.
“I remember when I used to be hungry and I decided to do something,” Mendoza said.
One Thanksgiving, Mendoza decided to feed as many people as possible.
“I ended up with 600 turkeys for thanksgiving and that was the first time I cooked for the homeless and immigrants. We fed about 10,000 people that day,” Mendoza said.
Mendoza is excited to open his latest project, a new Chapel Hill restaurant called Tikka Tequila.
After growing up hungry, Mendoza now feeds so many, from presidents to the homeless.
“Now I look into the mirror every day and I feel proud of myself,” Mendoza said.
Check out the video below of Mendoza sharing his story.
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