La Cocinita - 38010 Celaya

Born and raised in Caracas, Chef Benoit Angulo has been making arepas, a Venezuelan specialty at La Cocinita, since he was 9 years old. This early passion for cooking inspired Benoit to attend culinary school as an adult. Benoit then moved to the States in 2001 to pursue his culinary career.

Rachel and Benoit met while working together at Commander’s Palace, a fine-dining restaurant in New Orleans. While enjoying drinks at a neighborhood bar late one night after a long shift, Rachel and Benoit became hungry, not having eaten since their 5 pm pre-shift meal. Disappointed with the absence of nearby late-night food options, Benoit pitched the idea of starting a food truck together. Benoit envisioned drawing from the feel and flavors of late-night street food carts lining a strip in Caracas referred to as “Calle del Hambre” (“Hunger Street”). Benoit introduced Rachel to his arepas, and soon thereafter, she fell in love with both Benoit and his cooking. The New Orleans truck opened for business on November 19th, 2011, at the same bar where it all started…and the rest is history!