TEMPE, Ariz. — A nana’s legacy passed down through comfort food is being shared in restaurants across Arizona today. There are several Casa Reynoso locations in the Valley, each with their own little twist on popular family recipes.
In Casa Reynoso’s back of the house, you’ll find more than 80 years of family love and memories, poured into each recipe. Sisters who arrived in Arizona during the depression in search of work, began to share their now wildly popular Mexican comfort food, back in the 1930s.
JoAnne Reynoso is one of the siblings who runs the restaurants Tempe location. The restaurant first started east of Phoenix. “You blink and you miss Globe-Miami," JoAnne said. "But there are six thriving Mexican restaurants that all have pretty much the same recipe.”
The recipes began out of that Globe-Miami mining town.
“She worked very hard and before her time," JoAnne said. "She was a woman that was in charge.”
Salustia Rodriguez Reynoso, the woman leading the way in restaurant ownership, was also known as "nana" to her family.
“Our inheritance from our nana were our recipes, and do with it as you will," JoAnne said.
Today, siblings Joanne, Robert and Yvette are some of the family who help run Casa Reynoso’s. Yvette and Joanne are at the Tempe location on Mill and Southern avenues and Robert is manages the food truck.
“I feel that great connection with them still and so appreciative that they worked so hard back then," Yvette said.
Since the 40s, Casa Reynoso has grown to at least a dozen restaurants across Arizona.
“We eat breathe and you know, every day, that’s just us and we love it," Robert said.
Each are individually owned by family, which the Reynoso's estimate are run by more than 100 relatives. All of the kitchens serve up the family's Mexican comfort food. They're well-known for their Gollo Burro and vibrant flavors that have filled plates for decades.
“It’s just something to be proud of that we could keep it going just like our ancestors did," JoAnne said.
They're a modest family.
“We don’t live out of our needs, we’re a simple people," Robert said. "We just work hard and love what we do.”
Their recipes even made it to Washington D.C.
“I got to cook in the Capitol Kitchen which was really awesome," JoAnne said.
But no matter where the Casa Reynoso kitchen is, it’s a single bond keeping them all cooking.
“You can call it addicted to chaos or whatever you want, but it’s our life and it keeps us going," Robert said.
It's one that started in a small kitchen in Globe, with one more special ingredient.
“When you hear music you dance," JoAnne said. "Don’t wait until you can’t. Just enjoy life."
It's a life lesson passed down from their nana.
>> Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
“I imagine her so joy-filled that we’re still continuing on this beautiful thing," Yvette said.
The Reynoso’s said as the oldest of the female siblings in the family, Joanne has no plans of slowing down any time soon. And they hope their family Casa Reynoso legacy continues when it's clear who the next family member is to fill her shoes.
Casa Reynoso's Food Truck locations can be found on Instagram.
RELATED: From La Catrina to ofrendas, families display Dia de Los Muertos traditions around the Valley
12News on YouTube
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.