Cantina La Martina brings tamales and tradition to Kensington for fourth annual La Tamalada

Tradition, flavor and a welcoming environment were all part of the experience at the fourth annual La Tamalada at The Lighthouse Sports Complex on Erie Avenue Sunday. Tables filled with tamales and traditional Mexicans food were prepared by chefs who came to compete for the title of best tamale.

La Tamalada brings people together to celebrate Día de la Candelaria, a Mexican tradition that marks the end of the Christmas season, and to strengthen Kensington’s Latine community.

Chef Dionicio Jiménez and his wife, Mariangeli Alicea Saez, hosted the event. The couple, owners of Cantina La Martina, spent late nights and early mornings preparing The Lighthouse’s space leading up to their annual Tamalada, an event that began in the heart of Kensington.

“Three years ago, we got connected with the McPherson Library and we did an event with them for Three Kings Day,” Saez said. “That led us to saying: why don’t we do a Tamalada for the community in Kensington?”

Cantina La Martina closed its physical location at Kensington Avenue and Somerset Street in November, but Jiménez and Saez said they wanted to continue the tradition in the neighborhood, where a large Latine population resides.

“After closing [the restaurant in] Kensington, we were looking for ways to stay connected to the community,” Saez said. “We reached out to our friends at The Lighthouse, who opened their doors for our fourth edition of La Tamalada.”

Seven chefs participated in the event, each bringing their own recipes and flavors to the competition. Attendees moved down a line of tables, often staffed by the chefs themselves, serving as judges for the people’s choice vote. 

From traditional favorites to new age fusion options, there was a variety of takes on the single dish. Cantina La Martina introduced a tamale made with kimchi and lengua, combining elements of Korean and Mexican cuisine.

“Chef Dionicio is just so good with ingredients and his mind,” said Sylvia Park, who, along with her husband Rommel Agbada, worked with Jiménez at Cantina La Martina and helped run their stand during the event. “He’s so creative that he could put this together in three seconds. It would take me three days.”

Park added that beyond his creativity, working with Jiménez and being a part of La Tamalada is an honor because of the chef’s passion for bringing communities together through food.

“It’s not just about Mexican food,” Park said. “It’s about all these cultures and how they relate to each other.”

While the event was crowded mostly with Kensington residents and others from neighborhoods across Philadelphia, the community La Tamalada brought together extended beyond city limits.

Fabian Bergara of Chicago stopped by La Tamalada while visiting his fiancée who lives in the city. 

“Before Cantina La Martina closed, we went to their spot,” said Bergara. “We followed them on their page and came across this event on our feed.” 

The couple was hoping to try as many tamales as possible before choosing their personal winner. When asked if they had any top contenders at the moment, they laughed between bites. 

“No comment,” Bergara said. 

Some attendees noted that for the Latine community, connecting through food is a way of feeling closer to home as immigrants, especially during difficult times, when cultural traditions help create a sense of belonging and support. 

“This year feels especially meaningful with everything going on politically and with immigration in the country,” said Saez. “Coming together for La Tamalada is a way of staying united, building community, and showing love as we move forward with everything going on regarding immigration.”

The event’s organizers went the extra mile to create a safe, secure environment for the community to celebrate with consideration for current immigration concerns. Jasmine Rivera, director of the Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition, worked with La Tamalada staff and volunteers to ensure smooth sailing throughout the day so people could come together and showcase their cultures with pride and strength.

“[Rivera] connected with the people from The Lighthouse and just educated everyone on how to handle situations where ICE might show up, and how to keep our community and our people safe,” said Saez.

Saez said bringing the Latino community together can help challenge stereotypes and prejudice while highlighting the strength and diversity within it. Not only did Mexicans participate in La Tamalada, but so did people from Puerto Rico and El Salvador.

“The best way to show resistance is continuing to show up, utilizing all of these platforms to get a strong message out as a united community, and always showing empathy and love to others,” Saez said.

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