Argentine restaurant owners in Kansas City say World Cup was good for business

KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva covers stories in the Northland, including Liberty. She also focuses on issues surrounding immigration. Share your story idea with Fernanda.

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Barbecue empanadas became more than just a menu item for Claudia Luna West over the past month. They became a symbol of her two worlds colliding.

"It's just like a fusion cuisine between Argentina and Kansas," said Luna West, owner of Buenos Aires in Shawnee.

Luna West watched her national team play in her new home, and the experience was good for business. At the FIFA Fan Festival, her empanadas sold out every day.

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"Well, it was amazing. It was really amazing and an unforgettable experience," Luna West said.

She said she was able to share her culture and her food, her everything, with American customers. And even better, her numbers were "amazing."

Isolina de la Vega, owner of Los Hornos, another Argentine restaurant in the Kansas City area, had a similar experience. Her restaurant had to close on the semifinal day because it ran out of stock.

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"We didn't have any more products to sell," de la Vega said. "That's a good problem to have."

What could have been a big business day turned into something even bigger. In a last-minute decision, de la Vega and her husband drove from Kansas City to Atlanta to watch the game.

"It's one opportunity," she said. "We worked super hard for this, so we need to enjoy it, too."

Isolina de la Vega

Both owners say they are excited about the World Cup's lasting legacy for their food and culture.

"Empanadas won't be considered ethnic food anymore," Luna West said. "They're going to become everyday food here. That's my goal."

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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