I grew up surrounded by nature and my connection with food which has always been remarkably close. My father had a farm and I used to spend my weekends exploring and climbing on guava, mango, and tamarind trees. He taught me to love and respect Mother Earth and to be low-waste, and my mother to see food as medicine.
My passion evolved, and I begin to experiment and create new dishes every day. I was always thinking about food and how I could teach my son to eat healthily.
I was born in the Dominican Republic and ever since I can remember, I have always loved cooking. My grandmother Francisca, who died a few months ago, gave me my first cooking lessons. She knew a lot about plants and made me fall in love with cooking.
I grew up surrounded by nature and my connection with food which has always been remarkably close. My father had a farm and I used to spend my weekends exploring and climbing on guava, mango, and tamarind trees. He taught me to love and respect Mother Earth and to be low-waste, and my mother to see food as medicine.
But I never thought of cooking professionally. I have always been creative, and Architecture seemed like a good career path. Later in life, I moved to NYC and I continued cooking for my friends and loved ones.
But I never thought of cooking professionally. I have always been creative, and Architecture seemed like a good career path. Later in life, I moved to NYC and I continued cooking for my friends and loved ones.
But after the birth of my son, six years ago, something clicked on me. I became more conscious about food and started cooking a lot. Even though I have always been health conscious, I changed my way of eating radically.
Cooking is therapeutic, it makes me happier and healthier. Rediscovering my passion was like connecting the dots. Because both Cooking and Architecture are forms of art that involve measuring, proportioning, shaping, designing, assembling, and composing. I started using colours, combining flavours, and creating with plants, and plating them creatively.
My passion evolved, and I begin to experiment and create new dishes every day. I was always thinking about food and how I could teach my son to eat healthily.
In 2018 I decided to audition for MasterChef Latino, and I made it to the top 5. Once the show was over, I knew cooking was here to stay and that I wanted to become a Health Coach and a Plant-Based Chef. I officially became a Health Coach by the Institute of Integrative Nutrition six months ago, and, of course, I keep updating my cooking knowledge and skills.
My food is faithful to my grandmother's legacy: healthy, simple, creative, emotional, and environmentally conscious. Cooking is a powerful tool. It can change your health and the planet and brings people together around a table.
2. What led you to take up this career path?
I decided to become a plant-based chef with the purpose of spreading happiness through plant-based food and empowering people to transform their lives by adopting healthy eating habits. I would like to change people's relationship with food.
My son is a picky eater and one day I asked myself if it was possible to change people’s perception about healthy food. I read about Neurogastronomy and Chromatic cuisine, so I had a Eureka moment, and I came up with the concept “Neurochromatic Plant-Based Cuisine”. We all know that the brain plays a key role in how food is perceived through our senses. Also, while we eat, we create memories, we feel emotions.
Cooking is therapeutic, it makes me happier and healthier. Rediscovering my passion was like connecting the dots. Because both Cooking and Architecture are forms of art that involve measuring, proportioning, shaping, designing, assembling, and composing. I started using colours, combining flavours, and creating with plants, and plating them creatively.
My passion evolved, and I begin to experiment and create new dishes every day. I was always thinking about food and how I could teach my son to eat healthily.
In 2018 I decided to audition for MasterChef Latino, and I made it to the top 5. Once the show was over, I knew cooking was here to stay and that I wanted to become a Health Coach and a Plant-Based Chef. I officially became a Health Coach by the Institute of Integrative Nutrition six months ago, and, of course, I keep updating my cooking knowledge and skills.
My food is faithful to my grandmother's legacy: healthy, simple, creative, emotional, and environmentally conscious. Cooking is a powerful tool. It can change your health and the planet and brings people together around a table.
2. What led you to take up this career path?
I decided to become a plant-based chef with the purpose of spreading happiness through plant-based food and empowering people to transform their lives by adopting healthy eating habits. I would like to change people's relationship with food.
My son is a picky eater and one day I asked myself if it was possible to change people’s perception about healthy food. I read about Neurogastronomy and Chromatic cuisine, so I had a Eureka moment, and I came up with the concept “Neurochromatic Plant-Based Cuisine”. We all know that the brain plays a key role in how food is perceived through our senses. Also, while we eat, we create memories, we feel emotions.
What if we use all this knowledge to hack people’s perceptions? We can make healthy food to be perceived as more appetizing and enjoyable. If we combine a conscious decision through education plus an unconscious one through positive perception, the result could be so powerful, and this can affect people's longevity and quality of life.
We build a relationship with food over time. This relationship can be negative or positive. If restaurants create unforgettable experiences around food, families can do the same at home. My son's favourite food is broccoli and people are always surprised when he says so.
I am always looking to create new dishes by pairing food with a wow factor to surprise the brain and create a positive experience. That is why I have created a pop-up Neurochromatic experience called Cooking Together, (@Cookingtgt), which is a sensory and emotional experience to inspire and connect people with food, nature, and other human beings.
I am always looking to create new dishes by pairing food with a wow factor to surprise the brain and create a positive experience. That is why I have created a pop-up Neurochromatic experience called Cooking Together, (@Cookingtgt), which is a sensory and emotional experience to inspire and connect people with food, nature, and other human beings.
When cooking we communicate our feelings, so our creations carry a bit of ourselves. It is amazing to see people smiling, relaxing and so happy, connecting with their inner cook and willing to try new things, even food they thought they did not like.
I am also interested in health education. That is why I created HEA Talks, HEA means “Health for every age”, which is a health initiative that brings together Chefs, Nutritionists, Health Coaches, Yoga Instructors, Fitness Trainers, and Wellness Specialists to inform, motivate and empower communities to improve their health and wellbeing.
I mix my Dominican roots with my new home America in a fun and healthy way to create unexpected combinations. For example, in DR people usually eat tubers and green plantains normally boiled or fried, but I cook it as a pizza, waffle, smoothie, dessert, and even I have a cassava cheese and yogurt.
I am also interested in health education. That is why I created HEA Talks, HEA means “Health for every age”, which is a health initiative that brings together Chefs, Nutritionists, Health Coaches, Yoga Instructors, Fitness Trainers, and Wellness Specialists to inform, motivate and empower communities to improve their health and wellbeing.
I mix my Dominican roots with my new home America in a fun and healthy way to create unexpected combinations. For example, in DR people usually eat tubers and green plantains normally boiled or fried, but I cook it as a pizza, waffle, smoothie, dessert, and even I have a cassava cheese and yogurt.
I love rethinking food. The use of tubers is one of my staples too because my cuisine is gluten-free, creative, colourful, flavourful, inspiring, adventurous, sustainable, happy, healthy with lots of love. I believe food not only nourishes us, but it also brings us happiness and improves our health. Cooking sparks joy!
3. What does your typical day look like?
I do not have a particular routine and I do not like to do the same thing every day. My day starts at 6:45 in the morning. I’m grateful for waking up and I say my mantra “I’m beautiful, I’m timeless, I’m grateful for what I have, thank you Lord for all you have given me. I forgive myself”.
3. What does your typical day look like?
I do not have a particular routine and I do not like to do the same thing every day. My day starts at 6:45 in the morning. I’m grateful for waking up and I say my mantra “I’m beautiful, I’m timeless, I’m grateful for what I have, thank you Lord for all you have given me. I forgive myself”.
I am like my mom; I have my morning beauty routine and it takes me around 30 minutes. It is my “me time”, I really need to take care of my skin. I do facial yoga, then, I have my matcha peacefully.
I do not eat breakfast, only on weekends, not because I do not create the time, but I have learned to listen to my body. I prepare breakfast for my son the night before as well as our lunch. I wake up my son and get him ready for school. Every day is a new adventure. We create stories and have so much fun together. One day we imagine a black hole, another a tornado.
I do not eat breakfast, only on weekends, not because I do not create the time, but I have learned to listen to my body. I prepare breakfast for my son the night before as well as our lunch. I wake up my son and get him ready for school. Every day is a new adventure. We create stories and have so much fun together. One day we imagine a black hole, another a tornado.
Life is about enjoying every moment and getting the spark at everything you do, to push yourself through the day in a busy city like NY. I drop him in school but now we are doing home-schooling. I do not complain but it is hard sometime to do both things. I finish work around 5:00 p.m.
Then I go home, I spent quality time with my son. We do a lot of pretending play, then the homework. I cook dinner and then, we play again. He goes to sleep around 9:00 p.m. I do some exercise in the middle. Usually, a 30-minute routine.
Then I go to my Kitchen Lab, this is how I disconnect. I read experiment and create. I love to do things without interruptions. Cooking is like meditating. This is the way I relax. I am always looking for those sparks to make my day. Every day I learn something new.
4. Does one's approach change when cooking professionally and at home?
The approach is the same, but the tools are different. In the end, you cook with enthusiasm and with your heart to make people enjoy food. In both cases, you want to create a memorable experience.
Then I go to my Kitchen Lab, this is how I disconnect. I read experiment and create. I love to do things without interruptions. Cooking is like meditating. This is the way I relax. I am always looking for those sparks to make my day. Every day I learn something new.
4. Does one's approach change when cooking professionally and at home?
The approach is the same, but the tools are different. In the end, you cook with enthusiasm and with your heart to make people enjoy food. In both cases, you want to create a memorable experience.
While at home is more relaxing, when you cook for others in a professional setting you pay attention to so many details, and your plating is more sophisticated. However, whether professionally or at home, cooking and eating is a unique experience.
5. Is there a dish you particularly associate yourself with?
I do not have a favourite dish. I love cooking and creating. But there are a few ingredients that are always present on my plate: avocado, edamame, broccoli, ripped plantain, cassava, pomegranate, and mango. I like flavourful and spicy food, but I also have a sweet tooth.
5. Is there a dish you particularly associate yourself with?
I do not have a favourite dish. I love cooking and creating. But there are a few ingredients that are always present on my plate: avocado, edamame, broccoli, ripped plantain, cassava, pomegranate, and mango. I like flavourful and spicy food, but I also have a sweet tooth.
My mom makes a delicious “Habichuelas con dulce” (a sweet cream of beans), which is a beans-based dessert immensely popular in the Dominican Republic with spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, and coconut milk. My mom’s recipe is low in sugar, but it is mouth-watering.
6. Can cooking be learnt at culinary schools or a natural talent is required?
Both. You can learn at a culinary school or have a natural talent. But talent is not enough, you need to train it. If you ask me what the essential ingredients are: I will say love, passion, discipline, and hard work. You have examples like Ferran Adria and Dominique Crenn, two masterminds who taught themselves through their experiences and mentors.
6. Can cooking be learnt at culinary schools or a natural talent is required?
Both. You can learn at a culinary school or have a natural talent. But talent is not enough, you need to train it. If you ask me what the essential ingredients are: I will say love, passion, discipline, and hard work. You have examples like Ferran Adria and Dominique Crenn, two masterminds who taught themselves through their experiences and mentors.
And other great talents went to school. But hey, it is always good to go to school. I am a self-taught cook and I think being an Architect has helped me with the creative process and thinking differently.
7. Which is your favourite book and why?
I would say two: Ferran Adria and elBulli - The Art, The Philosophy, The Gastronomy, by Jean-Paul Jouary and Ferran Adria. This book blew my mind and inspired me to see cooking with different eyes and a whole new perspective.
7. Which is your favourite book and why?
I would say two: Ferran Adria and elBulli - The Art, The Philosophy, The Gastronomy, by Jean-Paul Jouary and Ferran Adria. This book blew my mind and inspired me to see cooking with different eyes and a whole new perspective.
- Interviewed by - Christina Monachan
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