Kate and Gustavo Romero are the chef-entrepreneurs behind Oro by Nixta, a Mexican eatery in Minneapolis that showcases various corn types through lively seasonal dishes, earning the restaurant a spot on our Best New Restaurants of 2024 list. They shared their experiences amid ongoing federal immigration enforcement that continues to motivate local communities and discuss their support for staff and neighbors.
This interview has been refined and summarized for clarity.
The main entrance is secured and we ensure the back door remains locked continuously. Individuals need to wait for us to unlock the door. Our staff members, who are people of color, strive to comply with regulations yet may feel anxious about coming to work. We’ve witnessed neighbors being taken. This issue transcends political parties; it is a human matter.
ICE seems to be omnipresent. In a city with a mere half million population—specifically, 430,000 residents in Minneapolis—the presence of 3,000 federal agents indicates they are widespread.
Reflecting on our years of restaurant work, there hasn’t been a month, season, or time of year as challenging as the current one. The struggles faced by restaurants in the city are largely unknown. One day you may find employees absent altogether. Operating a business right now is incredibly complex.
Patrons can still book tables at our restaurant. There has been a significant community initiative encouraging support for establishments owned by people of color or women, and we maintain open communication with our fellow restaurateurs, like chef Yia Vang, whose establishment Vinai is nearby. What’s beneficial is the community’s eagerness to support local businesses. We’re all doing everything we can to assist our workers, who are central to our operations.
The recent nomination as a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Midwest has led to an influx of reservations. It’s fantastic, but our celebration lasted just a few minutes. Any success from that enables us to keep our doors open and continue employing our team, allowing them to maintain their shifts during slower periods. Business has remained active, especially on weekends, which have been quite good. Our sales exceeded those of last January because patrons have rallied to join us. Some regular customers have even offered to Venmo support as we’ve been purchasing groceries for our staff, arranging Ubers for them, or driving them home. The people of Minneapolis are exceptionally kind.
We are taking steps to ensure we have the required documentation to safeguard ourselves and our team. We can keep our doors closed if necessary. We advise our staff that if they feel uneasy about coming to work, they are welcome to take a day off. We are not in their shoes, so we withhold judgment on their feelings and simply adapt accordingly.
I (Kate) went shopping for an employee with our five-year-old son, and as I exited the car, a woman warned me that ICE was nearby. Three vehicles drove past, and our child was frightened. He asked if we should get back in the car, to which I reassured him, “We’re okay, sweetheart, you’re with me.” He then questioned, “Is Dad going to be fine if he gets stopped?” It’s incredibly difficult to answer such complex queries from a child.
We’re fortunate that Gustavo has been a naturalized citizen for several years. Kate has assumed the role of the “gringa in the household.” If she needs to pick up a fearful employee, that responsibility falls to her, not Gustavo. Yet, she still carries her own fears.
