An Evening with Kiera Wright-Ruiz and Kia Damon

***Please note: This event will take place at the Books & Books in Coral Gables at 265 Aragon Ave. Tickets are FREE and books will be available for purchase at the event. Want your copy early or can't make it in-person?

“Kiera Wright-Ruiz's My (Half) Latinx Kitchen is entirely singular: hilarious and poignant in its stories, precise and flavorful in its recipes, the book is a gem of memory and feeling for where you've been, where you're going, and how you find yourself in between.” -Bryan Washington, author of Family Meal and Memorial
You’re invited on this culinary journey of self-discovery as Kiera Wright-Ruiz connects to her Latinx roots with recipes and stories from the diaspora.
“What are you?” is a dreaded question that has followed Kiera Wright-Ruiz around her entire life. She is half Latinx and half Asian, and her journey to understand her identity has been far from linear. Though she is a first-generation American, she didn’t grow up in a home where many traditions from her family’s home countries were passed down by her parents. Kiera’s childhood was complicated, and the role of caregiver was played by various people in her life: from her mom and dad to her grandparents and foster parents. Many of whom were from all different parts of Latin America, and each of them taught Kiera something about what it means to be Latinx through their food.
This cookbook is the story of Kiera’s journey to embrace her identity and all her cultures: Latinx, Asian, and American. It’s a celebration of Latin American food in all its vibrant, flavorful glory, and a love letter to the diaspora. From Ecuador to South Florida, Mexico to Cuba, the recipes in this book are as diverse and unique as the cultures themselves with dishes like:

• Ecuadorian Seco de Pollo (one of the most beloved dishes from her father’s home country)
• Three Salsas to Know Before You Die
• Peruvian Ceviche with Leche de Tigre (her aunt’s iconic recipe)
• Elote Taquitos
• Pernil (a traditionally Puerto Rican dish that is now her family’s Thanksgiving main course)
• Lomo Saltado
• Tamarindo
• Okonomiyaki Quesadillas
• Pandan Coconut Flan
• Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

Kiera also weaves in charming personal essays to accompany the recipes—from the story of how tamale soup helped bring her family together again after being separated in foster care, to their tradition of bringing visiting relatives from Mexico to what she considers the most American place: Medieval Times.
This one-of-a-kind cookbook featuring 100 inventive recipes shows how being half can ultimately lead to being whole. It will inspire you in the kitchen and expose you to a different kind of first-generation story, one that’s never been told before.

Kiera Wright-Ruiz is a writer, recipe developer, and the author of the celebrated picture book I Want to Be Spaghetti! She has written for publications like The New York Times, Food52, Serious Eats, The Kitchn and The Japan Times. When not writing, she is probably eating onigiri with her husband and dog somewhere in Tokyo, where she is based.

Kia Damon, widely known as Kia Cooks, is a Florida born chef, food writer and recipe developer. She's the former Culinary Director of Cherry Bombe Magazine and has been named one of New York Time's 16 Black Chefs Changing Food in America. Her debut cookbook, Cooking With Florida Water, is set to publish in 2026.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Books & Books, 265 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables, United States