People of the Mercado

Efraín Manuel López was born in Nezahualcoyotl, México, and raised in Chimalhuacan, México, where he enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, visiting the national monuments of the country’s capital. At the age of 15, Efraín started working as a janitor around different parts of México, but after a couple of years, he decided to satiate his unyielding curiosity about life in the United States while seeking economic stability for himself and his family by moving to Los Angeles. Although the diversity of cultures in Los Angeles evoked a sense of home and familiarity, he knew his greatest obstacle would be adapting to a new world that came with a completely different language.

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Attempting to acclimate to a new environment, Efraín shifted his perspective to find beauty in his struggle by learning to appreciate the myriad of cultures and languages surrounding him. He then found work as a janitor and dishwasher, but once again, his inherent curiosity would compel him to explore the art of gastronomy while working at Chichén Itzá restaurant. Efraín fell instantly in love with gastronomy and immersed himself in the art to perfect his skills. Due to his dynamic personality and propensity to seek new experiences, Efraín started working at Holbox seafood restaurant three years ago, developing new culinary skills and learning a different cuisine. At the end of his shift, Efraín transitions into his other role as a baker at Chichén Itzá, where he has worked for five years; he can be seen after hours baking fresh bread.

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Outside of work, one of Efraín’s pastimes is frequenting flea markets and growing his collection of vintage Playmobil toys that, as a child, his parents could not afford to buy. Nostalgic about his favorite childhood toys, Efraín has gotten rid of unnecessary housewares to make room for his growing collection. In addition, he often shares photos of his toys and advice on proper care on various social media sites. After 16 years in the United States, Efraín has built a robust support system and community of friends at Mercado La Paloma that have been integral to his professional development. While Los Angeles has offered Efraín some semblance of home, he hopes to one day reunite with his family in México and celebrate some of his favorite cultural holidays—Día De Los Muertos and Christmas posadas.