Celebrating Cinco de Mayo: Chef of Hellbender Nighttime Cafe cooks food with passion, love and a taste of Mexican heritage [Video]

NEW YORK (WABC) — Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Though some may know the holiday as a big day for drinking, there’s much more to the celebrations.

In Mexico, May 5 is recognized as the day the Mexicans triumphed over the French in the Battle of Puebla.

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Back in 1862, Napoleon attempted to invade Mexico — his army of 6,000 soldiers facing off against 2,000 Mexican soldiers.

The outnumbered Mexican army defeated the French, and their victory has been recognized as a national holiday ever since. In fact, every year in Puebla people reenact the battle.

Part of the celebrations also includes recognizing the rich culture behind the community, and what better way to do that than through food!

Yara Herrera is the executive chef and owner of Hellbender Nighttime Cafe in Ridgewood, Queens.

Herrera joined ABC 7 New York, Eyewitness News on Sunday morning to share some of her favorite dishes …