Karol Zapata Built Kakes NYC From Scratch — Here’s How | Tales of a Latina S2E5

Karol Zapata built Kakes NYC from the ground up — and in this episode of Tales of a Latina, she breaks down exactly how she did it. From working in some of New York’s top kitchens to competing on Food Network, Karol shares how her journey as a first-generation immigrant shaped her discipline, creativity, and approach to success. Known for her perfectionism and attention to detail, she opens up about what it really takes to master your craft — from refining recipes for months to building a full experience concept with Kakes NYC. In this episode, Katherine K. Nunez and Karol Zapata discuss: • building Kakes NYC from pop-ups to a full concept • lessons from fine dining and Food Network • perfectionism, discipline, and creative process • balancing motherhood, business, and identity • what it really takes to run a restaurant This conversation is about purpose, consistency, and building something that lasts. — Tales of a Latina – Season 2 Episode 5 Guest: Karol Zapata (Kakes NYC) Filmed at Jue Lan NYC Production Credits Executive Producers: Katherine K. Nunez, Rachel Garcia-Kessel Producer: DC, Frank Blenman Director: DC Director of Photography: Frank Blenman Sound Recordist: Frank Blenman Production Assistants: Leonard “OXX” Richards Terell “CASH” Stephens Makeup and Hair: Katherine K. Nunez Wardrobe and Styling: Habebe Couture (@habebecouture) Shop: https://habebecouture.com Use code: KATNVIP Location: Jue Lan NYC (in partnership with David Mundo) Editors: Frank Blenman, William Hernandez Post Supervisor: Rachel Garcia-Kessel — Follow Katherine K. Nunez Instagram: @katherineknunez Karol Zapata Instagram: @karol_zapataa Kakes NYC Instagram: @kakesnyc Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.