For the Vergaras, everything starts at the table. "Our vacations are planned around breakfast, lunch and dinner," Sofía Vergara tells Us Weekly. "[For] Latin people, we grow up around food, and that's like our only entertainment." The actress and her son, Manolo Gonzalez Vergara, have long connected over a good meal - whether it's celebrating milestones, arguing over who gets the best order or building their Latin culinary brand, TOMA. That bond began long before business. Sofía was just 19 when she welcomed her son with high school sweetheart Joe Gonzalez in Colombia. By 24, she was single and moved to Miami with Manolo in search of bigger opportunities. "It was super hard," she says. "There are things that, as a young person, you're not supposed to be thinking about. It's a lot of pressure and you're trying to figure out your own life." They eventually landed in L.A., where she scored her breakout role on Modern Family in 2009. For Manolo, it was a childhood like no other. "It was awesome and weird and cool," he says. "It's the only life I know, and I wouldn't change a thing." In many ways, the mother-son duo grew up together, and they're still very much a team. In addition to launching TOMA, Manolo, 34, joined Sofía's Latin World Entertainment talent management firm. Sofía, 53, who's in her sixth season as a judge on America's Got Talent and scored a Golden Globe nod for her role in the 2024 Netflix series Griselda, also has her beauty line, Toty, and ¡Dios Mío! coffee brand. On October 18, they'll host a Grand Tasting of TOMA's empanadas at the New York City Wine & Food Festival. "We work very well together," says Manolo. "We've learned not to step on each other's toes." GREG SWALES FOR TOMA On a personal level, they're closer than ever, with Sofía - single since her 2023 divorce from Joe Manganiello after seven years of marriage - often taking on babysitting duties for her son's 11-year-old Chihuahua, Baguette. "We see each other almost every day," says Manolo. "We're just there for each other and support each other." Here, Sofía and Manolo tell Us more about food, family and how humor got them through the hard times. Sofía, congrats on raising such a well-rounded son. What were some of the lessons you tried to instill in Manolo when he was growing up? SV Well, I was very young, so I wasn't really thinking about anything - I was just trying to survive. But I've always believed the way to teach people is by example. I've always worked very hard, and I've always tried to be around my family. You'll never do the best job, [or be] the perfect mom, but you have to do your best with what you have. Did you have any nonnegotiable rules for him when he was a kid? SV Manolo was actually like an old soul. He was always very well-behaved. We'd cross the street when he was 4 years old, and he'd be telling me, "Grab my hand. This is very dangerous." MGV I'd give myself chores. I used to beg her [and say], "Please give me chores." SV In Latin America, you always have nannies and people helping you. It's in American culture, where the moms do everything, and so the kids have to do things. I didn't have money, but I needed to work, so the most important thing was for Manolo to have a nanny. He didn't really need to do much. What were some of the biggest challenges you faced as a single mom? SV You feel guilty because you can't be available all the time. I had to travel a lot because of the entertainment business. It wasn't like an office nine-to-five job. Every month was a different schedule. That's difficult because you miss birthdays and school things. How did you get through it? SV I had my mom's help, and I always knew he was in really good hands. Unfortunately, you cannot be single and also be a 24-hour mother [while you're] working, so you have to learn how to delegate. There's no other way to do it. Colin Farrell and More Stars Who've Brought Family to the Emmy Awards What was the best part about being a single mom? SV I didn't have to deal with anyone telling me how to do things. His father trusted me, so that was really cool - [we] didn't have to fight or put him in the middle. At least [Manolo] didn't have that. It can be really crazy for kids to have two parents [who aren't] going in the same direction. Is there anything you wish you could have done differently? SV A million things. When I see younger people now, I'm like, "How did I do that when I was 19, 20?" When all you want to do is not have responsibilities? I had to think about having people to take care of him, and not being able to do everything you want to do when you're at that age. When I was doing it, I didn't think it was that hard. But now I'm like, "Wow. It's a big responsibility to have a kid so young." Would you have taken a different approach if you had him later in life? SV Yes, of course. You know more when you're an adult. You're mature, you've lived. What did I know about raising a kid at 19? You would do things differently [with every