Meet Abner Alva | Chef & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Abner Alva and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Abner, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I am from Guatemala. I grew up in a little town named Cantinil. My mother owned a small restaurant and I always loved to watch her cook and learn from her. Since then, I always had a passion for food. I also knew that if I wanted to make a name for myself, I would need bigger and better opportunities than what Guatemala would offer me. When I migrated to America I worked in the food industry exploring each category (line cook, server, bartender, etc.) for many years. I am blessed to have came to America and worked hard to be able to make my dream come true.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I consider culinary literally an art. We are a food truck with a Latin/Korean fusion using fresh ingredients in each recipe. Each dish is served with a great presentation and delicious flavors. It’s not just your regular street tacos, it’s my own personal modern twist.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would definitely take them downtown to see some historic buildings since I am from Williamsburg, VA. Our first stop would have to be to the Virginia Beer Company which is a local brewery close to downtown. The atmosphere is great and the beer is even better. Some of the greatest people work there. For a bite to eat and great cocktails I would take them to Casa Pearl. For outstanding barbeque I would go to Matchsticks which just recently opened a store front in Williamsburg’s new development area. For Italian, we would head to Maurizio’s for their homemade pasta’s. Williamsburg has multiple breweries that frequently have live music throughout the evenings.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to thank my wife for helping me. She graduated with a bachelors in Business from a local college and was able to guide me through the beginning process of starting my business. Even though she was busy working and taking care of our two children, her love and encouragement kept me going at times I wanted to give up. Second, I’d like to thank a fellow food truck owner, Matt Sileno who owns Matchsticks. He would always respond to random questions I had, no matter the time of day. Last but not least, I’d like to thank God for opening this door for me and grow throughout this process.

Website: www.donchidova.com

Instagram: donchidova

Facebook: Don Chido