HOUSTON (KIAH) — Irma Galvan is the owner of Irma’s Original Restaurant where she specializes in homemade Latin cuisine. This Hispanic Heritage Month, she’s sharing her story with her customers and beyond of why she went into the business and why she cooks with love every day.
Galvan opened her restaurant back in 1980. It’s located right across from Minute Maid Park. She started her business back when the area was empty. She says she’s thankful that the stadium was built because it brought in more business. One thing that Galvan is proud of is the loyalty of her customers over the years. The restaurant has no menu, so customers come in expecting a culturally rich experience at their table that Irma is always proud to provide.
Galvan says that family is very important to her and always has been since growing up as a child. She’s been sharing that with her customers since opening. “In this little Irma’s original, we have no menu because we have a very tiny kitchen. And when we hire people to work in the kitchen, we don’t hire chefs. I hire, family or grandmas that are familiar with the old good Mexican food like my mother used to make,” Galvan said.
When asked what Hispanic Heritage Month means to her, Galvan responded, “our heritage month is every day here at arms, because we do the Chilean, the mole, the enchiladas and the tamales that we make from scratch. So for us this month is a year.”
In her opinion, Irma says that many are forgetting what Hispanic Heritage Month truly means. Her hope is that we remember our traditional roots, culture and ancestors.
Irma’s Original is located at 22 N Chenevert St, Houston, TX 77002. You can see the hours of operation on the website at Irmasoriginal.com.
