Isabel Munoz

Hola a todos! My name is Isabel. I am the Owner and Lead Chef at Rincon de Panama. My journey in the United States began in 1994 when I left Panama City, Panama to explore the beauty and wonderful opportunities here.

Since I was a child, I loved to cook! Preparing dishes for my family and friends just to see the reaction on their faces, knowing their taste buds were jumping with joy doing the Panamanian Típico dance excited me; I knew then that I would one day own my own restaraunt. Well, here I am! I opened Rincon de Panama in 2015 in the Historic District of Downtown Killeen. This was the perfect location to share my love of my cultural cuisine. The locals and soldiers took to my food and culture immediately… little did they know, they inspired me to keep going even when the pandemic hit.

If I had to recommend a dish, it would be El Panameno. This dish provides a taste of all the traditional foods of Panama. You get the Latin flavor, creole, Caribbean, and African mix on one plate! To go with the dish, I recommend the Passion Fruit drink. Passion Fruit is not only healthy, it is quite delicious and refreshing. Having a sip of the drink along with the food can help to accentuate the lively flavors of El Panameno.

Cooking for my customers is just one of many things that I do for this city. I also make sure that I prepare food to serve the homeless population of Downtown Killeen. These people have truly touched my heart with their stories of love, life, and loss. The only way that I can give them the joy that they bless me with is by providing free meals to them monthly. If you find it in your heart to assist, please contact me to join a beautiful community effort.