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Mama's Hot Tamales
Mama's Hot Tamales Café is an apprentice-operated business and job training restaurant that provides hands-on and classroom instruction designed to train low-and-moderate-income vendors in the disciplines necessary to begin a career path toward success in the culinary world.

Participants acquire the knowledge, abilities, and skills to pursue opportunities in the food service and hospitality industry as bakers, cooks, caterers, hosts, restaurant owners or managers, waiters/waitresses, or permitted sidewalk vendors. Featuring authentic presentations of regional dishes from throughout the Americas, this unique dining experience engages patrons as valuable participants in the education training process of our future culinary professionals.
Tamales Can Also Be Bought Across the Park

MacArthur Park Sidewalk Vending District
The signature project of V.E.N.D. is the MacArthur Park Sidewalk Vending District that was established in 1999 as the first district for legally permitted sidewalk vending in the history of the City of Los Angeles. Located on Alvarado and 7th Streets along the southern and eastern borders of the park, the District features colorful, professionally manufactured carts, well-maintained streetscapes, quality merchandise and professionally-trained independent vendors providing an ambiance where people come to buy a variety of foods, beverages, artwork, crafts and jewelry. The District is focused on creating viable employment and income-generating opportunities through the successful development of worker-owned, micro-business enterprises.

Business Education Laboratory
The V.E.N.D. Business Education Laboratory offers a first-of-its-kind business education and training program specifically targeting the training needs of the vendors participating in our program. Our education curriculum is grouped into three areas of specialized instruction Business Management and Professional Development; Food and Kitchen Management; and Neighborhood Health and Safety; designed to equip independent vendors with the skills and training necessary to successfully make the transition from the informal business sector to professional micro-enterprises. The Business Education Laboratory also serves the needs of area merchants seeking education opportunities to develop new professional skills as well as providing strategies to attract more commerce and patrons to the MacArthur Park area.