Nena's Mexican Cuisine celebrates 40 years of business in Stockton

Beans and mole de olla were the first dishes that Nena’s grandmother taught her to make in Jaripo, Michoacán. She was just 8 years old when she first stepped into the kitchen to cook.

More than 60 years later, Maria Elena Salcedo, 68, is still cooking her grandmother's Olivia Padilla recipes at her own Nena’s Mexican Cuisine restaurant.

“Ella era muy buena para cocinar tenia un sazón pero barbaro,” Salcedo said. (She was a really good cook; her seasoning was incredible.)

Salcedo, not left behind, has lived up to the same honor. She has put her "sazón" to good use. She opened Nena’s Mexican Cuisine restaurant on April 15, 1983, on B Street.

She bought the B Street location from the owner of a former restaurant for $14,000. She bought a used stove for $1,000 and the rest of the appliances she needed to run the business she paid in payments.

“Lo primero que yo empecé a vender fueron tacos de birria,” Salcedo said. (The first thing I started selling were birria tacos.)

The original location is now run by her sister Alicia Salcedo. This month, they celebrated 40 years of Nena’s Mexican Cuisine.

“Este logro es de mis empleados,” Salcedo said. (This achievement belongs to my employees.)

“You can’t think about Nena’s without thinking about those delicious homemade tortillas," Stockton Chamber of Commerce, Timm Quinn CEO said. "So, it's just a testament to her hard work and ability to go ... through the different economies and everything that have happened here in Stockton and nationally to really just be able to make it through all those ups and downs. You must be doing something right."

There are now three locations. The original is on 2208 S. B St., in Stockton, the Waterfront Warehouse location at 445 W. Weber Ave. #120, in Stockton and one in Sacramento at 232 Jibboom St.

Salcedo manages the Waterfront Warehouse and Sacramento locations.

She opened up her second location in Stockton in Waterloo. But after 26 years of Nena’s, she lost the second location to bankruptcy. Her Waterloo location was closed down and her Waterfront Warehouse location opened in 2010.

“Mis empleados me prestaron dinero,” she said. (My employees lent me money.)

She has employees of more than 20 years who she considers all part of her family.

When she was looking for a new location to continue her business, she was interested in the Waterfront Warehouse. Unsure if she could pay the rent, she was backed up by then-city council member and now-Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman.

“Fue mi ángel de la guarda cuando yo me caí," Salcedo said. (When I was down, she was my guardian angel.)

A few weeks ago, they celebrated 40 years with a ribbon cutting with the Stockton Chamber of Commerce. Salcedo said she was touched by the mayor's comments.

"Dijo eres la parte de Stockton," Salcedo said. (He said you are part of Stockton.)

Salcedo has lived in Stockton since she was 13 years old. She started working in the fields when she came to the United States.

“Tengo un agradecimiento tremendo con la ciudad que me ha visto crecer. Tengo mucho amor a esta ciudad,” she said. (I have a tremendous appreciation for this city that has seen me grow. I have lots of love for this city.)

As the oldest of nine siblings, she became responsible for three of them at just 20 years old when her parents and five siblings died in a car accident while traveling back to Mexico. At the same time, she was already the mother of two children.

Salcedo has a strong belief in faith and in God and that is what has maintained her strong and to keep going through her life, she said.

“La mejor cosa que le voy a heredar a mi familia es dar amor. Es la herencia más grande que yo quiero dar,” salcedo said. (The best thing I will be inheriting to my family is to give love. Is the biggest inheritance I want to give.)

She has two adult sons who also help with the business, Jose Reyes, 47 and Juan Reyes, 46.

Even though she only went to the sixth grade, Salcedo has learned a lot by traveling the world. She has traveled to 37 countries, including Israel and Egypt.

If you ever wondered what Salcedo's favorite dish is, it's nopales con huevo y arroz. The rice is also her grandma's recipe. Chorizo street tacos, machaca norteña or chicken fajitas are just some of the other dishes you can find at Nena’s.

When you walk in you will notice the wall with portraits by the counter. That is Nena’s relatives from her grandparents to her parents Jose Salcedo Gonzalez y Maria De La Luz Acevedo and her older son Arturo Reyes, 48, who passed away last year.

“Espero haber dado lo mejor de mi,” Salcedo said. (I hope to have given the best of myself.)

Salcedo’s advice to anyone interested in opening their own business is to do it with love.

“Que lo hagan con mucho amor. No por ganar dinero si no por el amor que le tenga a aquello que va a ser,” she said. (To do it with lots of love. Don’t do it for the money, do it for your love for what you are going to do.)

Record reporter Angelaydet Rocha covers community news in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at arocha@recordnet.com or on Twitter @AngelaydetRocha. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.

This article originally appeared on The Record: 40 years celebration of Nena's Mexican Cuisine