I Love Paraguay, a restaurant founded in 2007 in Sunnyside, in New York City’s Queens borough, has become the first licensee of Marca País Paraguay outside the country. President Santiago Peña presented the license on September 24 during his schedule in the United States.
Founded by Nancy Ojeda and her family, the restaurant grew out of their longing for Paraguayan flavors and customs after emigrating. Over nearly two decades, it has become a gathering place for the Paraguayan community and a venue for introducing the country’s cuisine and culture to American audiences.
Peña called the restaurant “a small piece of Paraguay outside Paraguay” and highlighted the role of Paraguayans living abroad in promoting national identity. The president also recalled his own experience in the United States and mentioned techaga’u, a Guarani word associated with longing and the pain of distance.
Ojeda said nostalgia for Paraguayan food inspired the business: “When you emigrate, the first thing you miss is the food.” She credited the restaurant’s journey to the joint efforts of her husband, her children and the people who have worked there, and said the license also carries a commitment to continue presenting Paraguay with excellence.
The license authorizes I Love Paraguay to officially represent Marca País abroad. In Paraguay, the program has 150 active licenses for companies, representatives and events in sectors including food, services, agribusiness, manufacturing and agricultural production. Licensed organizations can take part in training, market intelligence activities, networking and international promotion through the Investment and Export Network (Rediex), a Paraguayan agency that supports investment attraction and export promotion.
The award extends beyond Paraguay a program that seeks to project attributes such as quality, commitment, innovation, sustainability and excellence. In the restaurant’s case, the license recognizes a family initiative whose cultural role began with the everyday experience of the migrant community in Queens.