Food is often described as a universal language. For many immigrant chefs in Denver, that language is helping them rebuild their lives and reclaim their stories.

One of them is Senaida Sifuentes, a chef from Colombia who says every empanada she folds carries a piece of home. The recipe comes from her mother, a tradition passed down through generations. She says it became her "saving grace" after arriving in the United States.

Senaida Sifuentes CBS

Sifuentes came to the U.S. in 2019 after her small business in Colombia collapsed. Starting over wasn't easy. She worked multiple jobs, faced health issues, and struggled to find stability.

"Ever since I arrived from Colombia, I kept saying, 'If God opened this door for me in the United States, it was for something more,'" she said in Spa

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