He Was Ashamed of His Culture as a Kid — Now It’s His Whole Business

His grandparents fled Spain. His parents left Mexico. He grew up hiding it all.

Chef Alex Villar, co-founder of The Cooking Clubhouse, was once ashamed of everything that made his family different — pig roasts in the backyard, loud dinner parties, and a Spanish-speaking home. But those exact cultural roots later became the blueprint for his business.

In this episode, Alex shares how growing up between cultures shaped him as a chef, entrepreneur, and culturally fluid adult that he is today. Plus, stay for a special segment with Khadija Taylor, who breaks down the Spanish-inspired tablescape for this episode's Culturs Celebrations dinner.

Topics discussed:

00:00 - Introduction

04:13 - Alex’s experience as a third culture kid

08:10 - Why his family really left Mexico

10:46 - Advice for anyone that grew up differently

13:10 - How his parents’ risk became his own

18:10 - The Cooking Clubhouse: concept and inspiration

25:39 - Finding his business partner and fellow TCK

27:33 - How living between cultures built his career