Mujeres del Mercado

A mother, chef, entrepreneur, and world traveler, Aritsa Elliot was born in Udon Thani, Thailand. It was in Thailand where she discovered and developed her culinary talent through observing her mother cook, whom she credits as her teacher. After moving to the United States, one day in 2006, Aritsa walked into Mercado La Paloma after seeing an advertisement of a small business for sale. Aritsa saw the space at the corner of the Mercado and told her family “That could be my spot” and decided to “Go for it.” Aritsa is now the chef and owner of Thai Corner Food Express at Mercado La Paloma which specializes in both traditional Thai cuisine, inspired by old family recipes, and new Asian fusion flavors. Thai Corner is the first Thai restaurant to participate in Los Angeles County’s Smart Menu program that provides patrons with nutritional information to promote nutritional literacy, an accomplishment Aritsa is proud of.

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After 20 years of living in the United States, the visceral memories of her mother’s home cooking are often evoked whenever she makes a papaya salad. It is the papaya fruit that is reminiscent of home for Aritsa, who frequently visits Thailand to reconnect with loved ones, reenergize and reinvigorate her recipes. Today, Aritsa continues to evolve as a chef by traveling and learning new cuisines such as French, Italian, Mexican, and Japanese.

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Whenever Aritsa is not mastering her culinary skills or developing new recipes, she enjoys birdwatching, playing the guitar, and learning about different cultures. Aritsa’s philosophy in life has always been to do good and good things will come back, which is why she tries to reciprocate the opportunity Esperanza Community Housing and Mercado La Paloma have given her by helping her staff, neighbors, and family.