Today we’d like to introduce you to Hilda Arzeno.
Hi Hilda, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Hilda Arzeno is a journalist, commercial voice, and motivator on women’s issues. Her discourse has covered diverse topics that converge in the collective experiences of women. She hosted the radio show “A Pair of Heels” and “Instinto Femenino” (Female Instinct), programs that were leaders in female audiences.
www.instintofemenino.com is a community with over 700,000 readers, where she speaks in Spanish about women’s issues with the charm and irreverence characteristic of her personality. She is also the author of “Instinto Femenino” (Female Instinct) and “Confesiones raros de una mujer” (Unusual Confessions of a Woman), her first book. She is also the author of “Fat Me,” a monologue about overweight and bariatric surgery.
She was born in Santo Domingo in 1985. She is a well-established voice on Dominican radio, and her defense of the feminine is an authentic approach that identifies with modern women. Writing has been the best way for this woman to express the irreverences and realities of her generation.
Hilda does not aspire to impose her criteria or to demonstrate new trends. She is an observer of female behavior and has delicately exposed the social twists and indiscretions of gender, which were culturally hidden or relegated to feminine secrets.
She has worked as a blogger for over a decade. A broadcaster, master of ceremonies, and commercial voice, she has worked in various media outlets, primarily to publicize the situation of women.
Her truths are not comfortable for the entire society, founded on the platform of patriarchy, even diplomatically vindicated by female exponents. Her truths are not easy to digest by a society that prefers to reduce her to the same old labels.
In 2019, she migrated to the United States seeking the well-being of her daughter. There, she discovered her cooking skills and today she is a Dominican chef with a unique palate and knowledge of Dominican cuisine. She has owned Dominican concepts in Orlando and has managed many Latin-based restaurants from the kitchen, leading with leadership and flavor.
On September 13th, she will launch her first podcast in the United States under the name HILDA. This is a space for intelligent and in-depth conversations with journalist and writer Hilda Arzeno. Through authentic and enriching conversations with distinguished guests, Hilda explores life, culture, society, and the experiences that connect us as human beings. With her approachable and thoughtful style, she offers a meeting point for ideas, perspectives, and relationships that inspire and transform.
Her website is www.hildaa.com and her Instagram is @hildaapodcast.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It was extremely difficult to abandon my professional field to learn a new trade like cooking. It meant leaving everything behind and believing that many years of study or achievements could no longer be used when migrating. I moved to a world where there were no lights, no microphone, no stories, no makeup. Just oil, sautes, and lots of vegetables or meat to chop. I didn’t speak the language. It was radical, overwhelming. It meant going from a feminine world to one led by men, where closing hours extend into the early morning. It was difficult; even one of my businesses took a risk. It made me lose everything. But in the end, I learned, gained experience, improved my ability to lead, delegate, and learn about the restaurant business. Today I can say that I am a chef thanks to my discipline, a unique and privileged Caribbean palate that hides the teachings of grandmothers and aunts with that delicious Caribbean gastronomy.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m currently a consultant for Latin restaurants and emerging food truck businesses. I work as a chef on various projects as a consultant, creating menus and concepts that appeal to the Orlando food market. In my podcasts, I share success stories about Latinos who have triumphed in this country—those whose stories are silent and which I would love to continue telling. I’m proud to represent the resilience of Latinas, their ability to adapt and recover from any loss. That chameleonic attitude and becoming a woman who learns, grows, and develops regardless of the market, believing in her own abilities.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
I think the United States is a lonely country for emotional or financial support; if you’re not surrounded by your own circle, it’s doubly hard. I think I discovered that you never abandon yourself. That your own family is your best ally in good times or bad. That’s how, on the road to business, when you no longer have them, friends or allies also disappear. In the good times, we all have friends, mentors, or clients. In the bad times, everything is deserted, especially when you’re starting to grow; the people close to you don’t help businesses grow. Often, the credit goes to the new customer, to the one who likes good food, to the Instagrammer, to all those who help elevate your brand. I want to recognize those people because my story was often known through influencers, YouTubers, and some foodies who, out of the pleasure of protecting my food, contributed along the way. Those were my best mentors, those who stood out in each business, enjoyed it, but above all, paid for my food. The Dominican community in Texas was a community that fostered my love for food trucks. They were a community of support, growth, and appreciation for my work in the food truck industry. And my daughter, who is a teenager, makes me feel like a proud mother because in every business I saw her improve customer service, I saw her manage the collection systems with impressive skill. Having taught her her mother’s love for her craft makes me feel like a proud Latina. Every successful Latino child learned it from someone who has lived it their whole life. I’ve always been a businessman, growing up learning to make my own money by thinking with a disruptive mindset.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hildaarzeno
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hilda-leonor-arzeno-carrasco-4b555633
Image Credits
Hihello labs
