A Cuban family that emigrated to Brazil and started preparing pizzas by order in their home kitchen managed to open their own gastronomic business in the state of Minas Gerais, after juggling their daily jobs with long hours of nighttime work for a period of time.
Daniela Martínez Hernández shared her story in a video posted on Facebook, where she showcased part of her family's journey to successfully owning a pizzeria in the Brazilian town of Tarumirim.
“We are a family of migrants who decided to start from scratch in Brazil,” Daniela expressed while sharing a story marked by hard work, patience, and the determination to undertake a new life far from Cuba.
The first steps were not easy. According to what was said, during the day they worked in a market, and upon returning home, they spent the nights making pizzas for delivery.
What started as a complementary activity began to grow thanks to recommendations from the consumers themselves. Customers started sharing their experiences, and each new order represented an opportunity to promote the venture.
"Thus, our house was filled with orders, laughter, and the smell of freshly made pizza," Daniela recounted.
The family continued working from their home while gradually acquiring the necessary equipment and materials to turn that domestic project into their own establishment.
The expansion didn't happen overnight. As the young woman explained, they gradually purchased what they needed, without giving up on the idea of someday having a place to serve their customers.
«With effort and patience, we bought everything necessary for our dream, until one day we said: it’s time to take the next step», she said.
That moment came when they decided to find a commercial establishment and invest in the business they had developed from home.
"We looked for a space, we put everything on the line, and here we are today, with our own pizzeria in Brazil," announced Daniela.
The video shows family members working together, footage of the pizzas they prepare, and glimpses of the business facilities, along with Daniela speaking in front of the flags of Cuba and Brazil.
The presence of both symbols summarizes an important part of their history: a family that left their home country and found in Brazil the opportunity to develop their own project through their work.
His account highlights the importance of early customers, recommendations among acquaintances, and the decision to reinvest earnings to continue growing.
"Dreams do come true; you just have to work on them with love and faith.", Daniela stated, inviting those who knew her story to follow the development of the family business.
"We are a family of entrepreneurial Cubans, and this is just the beginning of many more dreams here in Brazil," he concluded.
The experience of this family is reminiscent of other Cuban emigrants who have managed to start gastronomic businesses after beginning with limited resources and developing their own recipes.
In Mexico, for example, Cuban entrepreneur Ricky Thyam successfully established a pizzeria in Mérida, Yucatán, after arriving in the country in 2017 and developing other professional projects.
Originally from Banes, Holguín, the young man explained that his culinary business started when he began experimenting with recipes for Cuban pizza. A friend ordered ten units, and that first order became the starting point for Atope Pizzas.
Over time, he was able to involve his parents in the venture and hire employees, while envisioning the possibility of expanding the business to other cities.
In the United States, there are also stories of Cubans who have turned to gastronomy to build a new life. Dany González, originally from Caimito, Artemisa, opened a food business in Kendall, Miami, specializing in grilled meats and dishes from Cuban cuisine.
After emigrating to the United States, the young man decided to start his own business after working in the food industry. His venture, Al Fuego Grill, was born from the decision to take the risk of being self-employed.
"If you don't take the risk, you'll be left wondering if it could have gone well," he expressed then.
But starting a business also comes with challenges. A Cuban woman who opened a pizzeria in Houston shared in July 2025 that she was considering closing the establishment due to a lack of customers, just six months after launching operations.
Her experience reflected the economic challenges that small businesses can face even after managing to open their doors.
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