our story
Bringing Colombia to Tunbridge Wells since 2013
I’m a mother of two living in Tunbridge Wells since 2007 – I’m from Colombia and I came to England in 1995 after marrying my English husband who I met in Caracas, Venezuela. Although I haven’t lived in Colombia since 1989 I have never stopped eating my delicious Colombian food and I’ve been lucky enough to find most of my ingredients for my cooking wherever I lived, especially in London.
I love cooking and as a child I saw my grandmother and aunties cook all the time, there was always food for any unexpected guest that may have come to the house. Cooking and sharing food has always been the centre of festivity, celebration and community spirit and a source of enjoyment and happy memories. Now nothing gives me more pleasure than to have my friends and family over for a meal and to see them enjoying my food.
In 2001 while on holiday in Havana (Cuba) we came across ‘paladares’, where families invite tourists to their homes and make them authentic Cuba meals for a fee. We loved the idea of it and only ate in people’s homes while we were there, especially since it helped those families. I was inspired and, that coupled with my love of food, music, partying and meeting new people, gave me the idea of sharing some of my own culture and food with the people in England.
In the summer of 2013, with the support of my family, I finally decided to go ahead with the hosting and bring Colombia to Tunbridge Wells. That’s how Sofia’s Colombian Kitchen was born!
It all started with the simple pleasure of Friday takeaways, where friends and acquaintances dropped by to collect some good food and enjoy it with their loved ones at the end of the week.
Inspired by the joy of sharing homemade treats, we ventured into making Dulce de guandul, a sweet delicacy that captured the hearts and taste buds of our customers and friends alike.
Encouraged by the positive response, we decided to take it a step further by hosting monthly dinner parties where we could showcase our culinary creations and create memorable dining experiences for our guests.
And, as our passion for food and hospitality continued to grow, we eventually introduced Friday lunches, offering a cosy and delicious midday escape for those seeking a taste of our homemade goodness. Thus, from humble beginnings, our journey evolved into a delightful culinary adventure, fuelled by friendship, creativity, and a love for bringing people together over great food.
Having paying guests appreciating my culture, the food I grew up eating and dancing with me to my Colombian music is an amazing feeling! I’m so proud to be able to transport our customers to Colombia for one evening every month!
Our aim is for our customers to enjoy home-made food which is tasty, humble and satisfying and made with lots of love and passion! I also love showing them another side of Colombia they may not be familiar with through our cuisine and music and to get them to experience a little bit of Colombia right here in Tunbridge Wells! But most of all to just have lots of fun!!
Sounds amazing! Where can I book?
