What started as a visual cookbook for Ana Regalado to pass down family recipes to future generations has expanded to earn her a massive TikTok following.salty cocina” Video. From her home in the Phoenix area, Regalado shares the flavors that helped define her life.
For Hispanic Heritage Month, she gave Scripps News Phoenix a look behind the success of her lively recipe videos.
“I don’t know if you’ve heard, ‘Oh it’s a secret family recipe,’ [but] I think recipes are meant to be shared. We share them with the world so everyone can enjoy them,” Regalado said.
The mother and grandmother of seven began making her recipe videos in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said it all started as a way to teach her children and grandchildren about traditional Mexican cuisine.
“Just think about it, how wonderful would it be to have your grandmother in the kitchen and watch her cook even though she’s not here anymore?” Regalado said.
Not only did her kids love it, but so did the rest of the world. Within a year of uploading her first video, she had 1 million followers. He now has over 2.5 million.
They are all eager to trace the history, cultural significance and origins of the ingredients of her favorite dishes. Her charming and authentic personality has given her a platform she never imagined.
“I never thought it would get this big,” Regalado said.
Each video is a testament to her commitment to spreading the richness of cuisine passed down through generations, as well as the joy she enjoys learning about other cultures from her followers.
“Everyone’s cultures are different, but, in a way, they are the same. So we can all hug each other,” Regalado said. “There are a lot of different dishes that are similar but they have different names in different countries.”
“I always tell my husband, the family that cooks together stays together,” Regalado said with a laugh.
This story was originally published by Cameron Polom with Scripps News Phoenix.