Chivanada: Daniel Yarzagaray

In rural Colombia, festive and colorful buses known as chivas are the primary method of transportation.  When Daniel Yarzagaray visited his beloved grandma in Colombia three years ago, a gift-shop clay chiva he bought helped crystalize his next chapter: to bring authentic coastal Colombian food to Nashville from a chiva-inspired bus. Daniel shared his vision with his brother, Kai, who agreed to serve as creative director. Together, they created Chivanada: Nashville’s Colombian empanada truck.

Chivanada is a testament to Daniel’s passion. He meticulously improves upon his family’s empanada recipes, delivering Nashvillians authentic flavors in delightfully crispy pockets. With Kai’s vision, Chivanada is art on wheels; it draws inspiration from Colombia’s multiculturalism and literary greats.

With the pandemic cancelling live events, Chivanada has adapted to give customers socially distanced food options. Platforms like NashvilleBestFoodTrucks.com let people book food trucks directly for their community. Utilizing online ordering for contactless pick-up, Chivanada has had great success serving neighborhoods, offices, and even nightshift healthcare workers. Online ordering also lets Chivanada collect emails, so they can let customers know the next time they visit. These innovations helped Chivanada thrive despite the pandemic, particularly in attracting business from areas with few restaurants.

Chivas inspire a sense of community that contrasts with how we experience public transportation here; Colombians play music and dance cheerfully as the chivas take them between countryside towns. As Chivanada uses their delicious empanadas to bring communities together and offer respite from this year’s challenges, they honor the chivas and their rich Colombian heritage.

@chivanada

Update: Chivanada was chosen as the official empanada of the Geodis Soccer Stadium opening in May 2022.