Trisha Pérez Kennealy: Culinary Advocate and Innkeeper

Culinary whiz and inn owner Trisha Pérez Kennealy highlights her mission to share her Puerto Rican and Jewish background with her community.

Matzo ball meat pies, anyone?

Cultural Roots

Trisha Pérez Kennealy, owner of the Inn at Hastings Park and a culinary educator in Lexington, Massachusetts, is a proud Puerto Rican, Jewish woman dedicated to bringing innovative culinary techniques to her Massachusetts home. She opened her boutique hotel in 2014, aiming to create a center for food and community, weaving multicultural cuisine into the historic space established in 1888.

Pérez Kennealy’s inn combines 22 beautifully designed accommodations that blend Lexington’s rich history and architectural beauty with a modern feel. She emphasizes the passion that resonates through local history, comparing the fervor of the farmers at the Lexington battle green during the American Revolution to how she expresses her own culinary passion.

Community Impact

Her cultural heritage informs the ethos of her inn. “I loved growing up in Puerto Rico in an urbanization known as El Remanso, within the Rio Piedras district of San Juan. My grandparents from Guayanilla were avid cooks, and I cherish memories of our family gatherings,” she recalls. This love for community translates into the welcoming environment at the Inn at Hastings Park, where every guest feels at home.

One of her most cherished experiences at the inn involved helping a guest during the Jewish high holidays by preparing matzo ball soup for a family welcoming twins into the world—an act that blossomed into a lasting friendship.

Culinary Education

Beyond her inn, Pérez Kennealy serves on the board of advisors for the Friedman School of Nutrition at Tufts University. She is particularly proud of working with immigrant farmers through the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, which trains future farmers and promotes access to indigenous produce across Massachusetts. This program also provides fresh produce to communities in need.

Amid the pandemic, she leveraged challenges as opportunities to enhance local sustainability. One of her notable initiatives includes hosting Immersive Cooking Weekends. Participants engage in agrarian history tours, local produce cooking sessions, and enjoy afternoon teas inspired by her culinary training in London.

Pérez Kennealy is always looking for ways to blend her cultural heritage into special occasions, including traditional events featuring mofongo and her beloved matzo ball soup, while also participating in community-driven fundraising initiatives.

Her commitment to fostering curiosity among participants—regarding culinary skills and community involvement—sets the standard for effective hospitality leadership. “Curiosity about operations, people, and culture distinguishes the industry leaders,” she states, reinforcing the importance of multicultural experiences in hospitality.