Restaurant owners celebrate heritage by offering Venezuelan cuisine in Ardmore

ARDMORE, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Levi Hernandez and his family say they took a leap of faith in 2020, deciding to open their own business during the pandemic.

"It's difficult always because you don't know what happen in the future," says Hernandez.

Back then, they cooked in a ghost kitchen serving food to go.

He says for them, it turned out to be a good idea as their food was well received by the community.

And this July, they opened the doors to Autana, Authentic Venezuelan Food.

Hernandez is the chef at Autana and his daughter, Maria Jose, is the pastry chef.

"Autana means 'house of the gods,'" she says.

Hernandez's daughter suggested the idea for the Ardmore restaurant after her parents were laid off.

She says Autana became a success because there were no other restaurants offering food like theirs in the area.

"We make Caribbean, Latin food. It's Venezuelan cuisine at its best," she says. "Everything is fresh, homemade."

Hernandez's wife, Maria Elena, also works at the restaurant, alongside their daughter.

She says since it's their business, they have to do everything "with love, with passion, and compromise."

Hernandez cooks many dishes that remind him of growing up in Venezuela.

He says he uses their family recipes, but his daughter says those recipes receive "our twist."

Hernandez says there are many must-try items on the menu, like the arepas.

He makes an arepa pelua that is stuffed with cheese and shredded beef.

Empanadas are also a popular menu item.

"We make 400 every week," says Hernandez.

Cachapas are made by folding a sweet corn pancake around a protein, like pork, and then a special Venezuelan cheese is added called queso de mano.

"People love the cachapas," he says.

"We use a lot of cornmeal, plantains," explains Maria Jose. "Lots of sweets and savory in our dishes."

The patacon is a good example of that combination. It is a sandwich of sorts that uses plantains instead of bread.

"It's so good," says Hernandez.

Maria Jose makes the desserts.

"My grandmother is a baker," she says. "And she has taught me a lot of her recipes."

And when you come to Autana, you'll be treated like family.

"We feel very grateful," says Maria Jose. "We really have great customers. They connect a lot with us as a family, and our story, and our food."

"We are a team," says Maria Elena. "Autana is a family."

"This is my home," says Hernandez.