Food has served as a catalyst for the spread of culture for thousands of years. Being in the melting pot state of Louisiana, this idea isn’t foreign to us, but something new in Natchitoches might just change that notion: Colombian Kitchen.
A dream in motion for over a year just came to fruition as Colombian Kitchen, located just across the street from Northwestern State University of Louisiana at 116 North Street, opened its window on Feb. 7, and according to their website, became the first Colombian cuisine food truck in the area. Business partners Michael Rorex and Luis Malaver set out to bring a new cuisine to educate the population of Natchitoches on Colombian food.
Preparations began in November 2024, when Rorex and Malaver began the documentation process. Though the process was lengthier than they were hoping, success was granted to them within the year, setting into motion the start of this journey.
“We talked with several other food truck owners here in town. Tasty Burger and Sweetie’s Bar-B-Q & Blues House were very helpful and sweet to us during the filing process … It’s kind of like a community where everyone helps and wants to see you succeed,” Rorex said.
This sense of community is what Malaver, the visionary of the food truck, sought to bring to Natchitoches with their food. He remarked on the nostalgia of Colombian food for him and his desire to share this feeling through food.
Malaver mentioned that he doesn’t want price to be a barrier to exploring this culture. “The most expensive thing on my menu is $16,” Malaver said. Rorex added, “And you can practically share it!”
Low prices in a dominant college area is a draw for the ever-growing NSU population. However, it’s more than just a business tactic from Malaver.
“I always cook with the door open,” he added, “so people see what I’m doing, I don’t have any secrets from the people.”
Both in practice and in ethics, Malaver seeks to promote honesty and openness at Colombian Kitchen. He described past customers coming to the door to ask ingredient questions, inquiries he welcomes and encourages, as all their ingredients are fresh and meals are made by hand.
In this striving for transparency and trust, Malaver prompts customers to talk with the kitchen staff to accommodate allergens and other food sensitivities, as they are always happy to help. In fact, they suggest their salads or arepas as the most flexible and customizable options for those with an intolerance or allergy of some kind.
This transparency—quite literally, with the open door—fosters community by allowing interactions and appreciation to be shared directly between customers and chefs.
Establishing a food truck hasn’t been completely free of setbacks, and Malaver noted that the timing of receiving food is something that the kitchen is trying to improve. “With so little staff and a big crowd, I want to have your food out in 15 minutes, but sometimes I just can’t,” he said.
Malaver is committed to implementing an updated and streamlined food service once the truck has been open longer, in the hopes of better serving customers and allowing him to craft more complicated dishes, such as their salchipapa.
The uniquely crafted menu of Colombian Kitchen is what stands out. When you mention any type of regional cuisine, there is a lot of ground to cover, and the same is true in this case. Their full menu can be viewed ahead of time here.
One popular item they sell is their smoothies, you can choose from strawberry, mango, peach or mixed berry. Their ‘classic salchipapa’ was mentioned to be Malaver’s favorite dish, with French fries topped with sliced sausage, house sauces, melted mozzarella cheese, sweet corn, and crispy potato sticks. Something simpler that shares origins with Mexican cuisine is the Arepas, which are a personal favorite of Alejandra Martinez, the social media manager of Colombian Kitchen. The Arepa variety that they have consists of chicken, shredded beef and Colombian chorizo.
Malaver recalled that, as he excitedly designed his menu and showed it to Rorex, his business partner calmly said, “You have to cook food for Americans. Everything needs to taste like sugar and butter.”
Though this sentiment is unfortunate and often true, the food truck is determined to find a way to bring Colombian authenticity while being flexible to accommodate a larger consumer population.
Each department within the country of Colombia has vastly different influences on cuisine based on regional differences. Malaver remarked that this made it even more complicated to decide the menu because there isn’t just a “signature dish of the country.”
In the end, a balance was crafted between the nostalgic dishes Malaver had crafted for him by his grandmother and dishes that are more centered on a gradual consumer immersion into Colombian culture.
Mia Rodriguez, a senior musical theater major, visited the food truck and felt the intentional nostalgia crafted by Malaver and Rorex. “My abuela and tia used to take me to Colombian restaurants, and it tasted just like home,” she said.
Rodriguez found the environment to be very friendly and inviting. “[It] reminded me of my family back in Florida,” she said.
Gentle authenticity, friendly demeanors and prices that can’t be beat create an experience that can’t be replicated at a chain restaurant. Colombian Kitchen should find itself on any NSU student’s radar as the best spot for authentic Colombian cuisine in Natchitoches.
