Kitchens of Hope: Immigrants Stories, Food, and Art
Come celebrate our immigrant communities through stories, food, and art! Four immigrant panelists, as well as the authors of a new book on immigration and food traditions, share stories of their journeys to the United States and the many ways immigrants have enriched the lives of all Minnesotans.
In addition to the panel discussion, enjoy a selection of dishes provided by immigrant-owned restaurants and explore the museum, including a visit to Mia’s Print Room. Use our custom map, which will lead you to conversation stations where guides will share with you the stories of art from places around the globe, including from the home countries of our four panelists.
Schedule
1 p.m.: Food tasting and mingling
1:30 p.m.: Storytelling and panel discussion, followed by Q&A
3 p.m.: Explore art from around the globe at conversation stations
4:30 p.m.: Event concludes
This event is free and open to the public. Tickets are limited so register early!
Kitchens of Hope: Immigrants Share Stories of Resilience and Recipes from Home will be available for purchase during the reception and at The Store at Mia. The book’s authors will be available to sign copies of the title.
About the Speakers
Our panelists are Rashmi Bhattachan of Nepal, Nadya Goncharova of Latvia, Ingrid Kubisa of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Jesus Li of Peru. Our moderators are co-authors Linda Svitak, Christin Jaye Eaton, and Lee Svitak Dean of Kitchens of Hope: Immigrants Share Stories of Resilience and Recipes from Home (University of Minnesota Press), which was published in 2025. The four panelists are all featured in the book and are among more than 30 contributors from around the world who are part of this collection.
Rashmi Bhattachan grew up in Pokhara, Nepal, in a city known as the gateway to the Himalayas. With food woven deeply into her family history, she seemed destined to become a restaurateur. Her mother and both grandmothers were exceptional cooks, while her aunt owned and operated a hotel for many years. It was from these women that Rashmi first learned the art of cooking and hospitality. Rashmi later moved to the United States to pursue higher education, earning both her undergraduate and master’s degrees. Her culinary journey in Minneapolis began with a food stand at the Mill City Farmers Market and eventually led her to open Gorkha Palace, which she has since sold. Today, she owns Momodosa at Midtown Global Market and can also be found serving customers at farmers markets throughout the summer. In November, she’ll open her first bakery, Elephant Bread, in Uptown Minneapolis.
Nadya Goncharova grew up in Latvia, earning a business degree as the Soviet Union collapsed. With few prospects in her country, she applied to be a nanny in the United States. That led to a visit to northern Minnesota, where she discovered a familiar outdoor environment to that of Latvia with its forests and Baltic Sea. Nadya moved to Minnesota, where she earned another business degree and began a hospitality career along the North Shore. She’s now the director of food and beverage at the American Swedish Institute, overseeing public and private events and FIKA Café.
Ingrid Kubisa was born in a war-torn country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where she lived for most of her life. From an early age, she and her family were involved with humanitarian work, which included travel throughout the countryside to help children traumatized by the country’s civil war. Her family moved to the United States in 2016 with the help of The Advocates for Human Rights and Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office. She and her sister were the first graduates from the DRC at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota. Ingrid, her husband, and young son live in Minneapolis, where she works in policy and community engagement at Hennepin County.
Jesus Li grew up in Lima, Peru, later moving to Minneapolis for educational reasons. He earned a master of fine arts in visual studies from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, where today he teaches as an adjunct faculty member, as well as works at Zeus Jones. Jesus has collaborated with organizations that include the Lima Museum of Art, Amnesty International, the University of Minnesota, and Meet Minneapolis. His work includes advertising, media, design studio, cultural spaces, and the freelance world. He has a deep love for print, art installations, and cultural identity.