Welcome to La Jefa Empanadas

At La Jefa Empanadas, we believe great food starts from the heart. Founded by Angela Woodley, our brand celebrates the bold, soulful flavors of Puerto Rican and Dominican cuisine reimagined through creativity, purpose, and often a plant-based lens. Every empanada is made with love, culture, and a story behind it.

Our Story

Angela’s culinary journey began in the South Bronx, where she learned the art of cooking from her parents. Her mother’s passion for growing herbs and infusing them into everyday meals taught her how to build flavor with care and intention.

After moving to Georgia in 2010, Angela spent years in the music industry, but her love for cooking never left. She began making empanadas for her recording-studio clients, sharing a taste of home that quickly grew into something bigger. In 2016, La Jefa Empanadas was officially born.

When Angela’s son, Liam “Bowie” Washington, was diagnosed with Autism and ADHD, her mission deepened. She wanted to build something that would not only support her family but also model strength, creativity, and resilience for her son. Bowie’s art, his sensory world, and his need for better nutrition inspired Angela to create spaces where food and purpose could coexist, leading her to open the La Jefa Empanadas Food Truck in March 2024.

The truck became more than a business, it was a moving story of love, culture, and advocacy. For a year and a half, Angela shared her empanadas with communities across Atlanta, bringing people together through flavor, family, and conversation about inclusion and creativity.

In October 2025, after an incredible run, Angela made the intentional decision to close the food-truck chapter and grow La Jefa Empanadas into a new era, focusing on handcrafted wholesale production, weekly pre-orders, drop-off catering, and nationwide shipping that bring both traditional and vegan Caribbean flavors to more people than ever.

Our Mission

At La Jefa Empanadas, our mission is to honor our roots while using food as a bridge for community, healing, and creativity. We’re here to show that authentic, soulful meals can be plant-forward, inclusive, and deeply meaningful. Through our empanadas, sauces, and experiences, we carry forward a legacy of love for culture, for family, and for the next generation.