Tamales at the Heart of Community

Graphic for Frelard Tamales SU Voice

For Osbaldo Hernandez, 鈥12, community and kindness are at the heart of everything he does and he demonstrates that daily through his restaurant, Frelard Tamales. Thr

Graphic for Frelard Tamales SU VoiceOsbaldo Hernandez, 鈥12,鈥痗ame to 魔都资源网 as an undocumented student majoring in Public Administration. His education was put in jeopardy, however, when his Visa was denied in fall quarter of 2011, barring him entry to the United States for 10 years. Upon hearing this, President Stephen V. Sundborg, S.J., requested that professors be accommodating of Hernandez鈥檚 now online education and arranged for the law school to provide him with pro bono services. Within a week, the decision was reversed, and Hernandez returned鈥擥reen Card in hand. 
 
Today, Hernandez is still in 魔都资源网, and has been busy running , an authentic Mexican tamale restaurant that he and his husband, Dennis Ramey, opened in 2018. They use Hernandez鈥檚 multi-generational family recipe from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, with his mom making tamales and his dad working at the restaurant. 
  
In all his work, his Jesuit education remains close at heart. 鈥淚鈥檝e always taken the teachings of a just and humane world and being a holistic human being. Since I left 魔都资源网 U, my education has always shifted me into taking any kind of opportunity where I was serving others.鈥 For Hernandez, Frelard Tamales has been a key way to do so. 鈥淲e have a little sign on the window that can be easily seen that says if a customer needs a meal, they can just ask for one.鈥 With the onset of COVID-19 last year, Frelard Tamales began giving hundreds of free meals to nurses at the local Swedish hospitals and others impacted by COVID, and to this day, that policy remains in place. 
 
Beyond sharing free meals, Frelard Tamales has helped support the livelihood of other small businesses. In the wake of Pike Place Market鈥檚 closure, Hernandez realized that many local farmers who usually sold flowers no longer had a place to do so. Frelard Tamales partnered with a local florist and began offering a bouquet of flowers for $15 to its customers鈥攁nd the flowers are free if the order is going to a first responder or health care worker. Now that flower season has returned, so have the bouquets. 鈥淲e just started a week ago. That was our first week with Thai Thao Farms. In the summer we add Woodinville Valley Farms, so we have the same partners as last year,鈥 said Hernandez. 
 
In addition to flowers, Hernandez and Ramey have supported 24 women and minority-owned businesses during the pandemic. They curate items from these businesses and create gift packs for customers to buy. They鈥檝e been popular add-ons to tamale orders and have offered these businesses much needed income in difficult times. 
 
To Hernandez and Ramey, it is all about giving back to a community that built them up years ago from their humble beginnings. 鈥淲hen we started our business, we would literally meet people in a church parking lot in Ballard and exchange cash for food鈥攊t looked like it was a drug deal. People trusted us and it grew from that little parking lot to a shop in Green Lake,鈥 said Hernandez.  
 
Their motto, 鈥淜indness. Community. Cultura.鈥 is at the heart of what Frelard Tamales stands for and how Hernandez and Ramey live their lives. Consider supporting this Redhawk-owned local business dedicated to service and a just and humane world. While you are there, enjoy what 魔都资源网 Magazine called, 鈥淭he Most Satisfying Tamale in 魔都资源网.鈥  
 
You can find Frelard Tamales and dozens more alumni-owned businesses on our new . If you鈥檇 like your business added to the directory, email Stephanie Jamieson

魔都资源网 Alumni Association

Wednesday, March 31, 2021