This study explores how Bulgarian migrant communities in Argentina and Canada shape and sustain their culinary identities under conditions of distance, substitution and generational change. Drawing on fieldwork conducted between 2011 and 2022, combined with an analysis of archival materials, migrant publications, and digital platforms, we trace how ‘traditional’ Bulgarian cuisine functions as a dynamic mediator between cultural memory and adaptation. Our findings show that festive food proves significantly more resilient than everyday cooking, while ethno-entrepreneurship and digital networks provide new channels for preserving and reformulating culinary traditions across generations.