I am from Cartagena, Colombia, a gastronomically privileged place. For my family, mealtime was a celebration. My mother was passionate about cooking; she researched local ingredients and wrote books on Caribbean cuisine. As a result, a library of her experiments and recipes was created in our home. I grew up surrounded by a table full of flavors from my grandmothers and mother, learning that cooking expresses feminine love and a way of sharing.

I studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Lima, Peru, and I began to fall in love with Latin American cuisine. This passion led me to make many trips across South America in search of new flavors. Along the way, I discovered my unexpected love for pastry art. It resonated with me instantly, likely because my mother adored baking. Our home was always filled with cakes, candies, molds, and the smell of cookies. My first job was at a pastry shop in Lima, where I learned pastry art fundamentals and traditional techniques. I fell in love with the dedication required to be a pastry chef and the precision and attention to detail that the role demanded. I discovered my muse and found what elevates my cooking and gastronomic vision to another level.

In 2021, I had the pleasure of meeting Álvaro Clavijo, my favorite chef. Álvaro taught me everything I needed to become the cook and pastry chef I am today. I learned about haute cuisine techniques, fermentation, long cooking processes, and maturation. He encouraged me never to limit myself in my culinary journey. Today, my pastry creations showcase local ingredients, highlighting the vibrant flavors of the Caribbean. I use vegetables and traditional savory recipes reinterpreted into contemporary sweet dishes.

I have been traveling through Europe for 10 months, and I spend most of my time in Salzburg, Austria, due to a gastronomic consulting contract with a restaurant. My role involves collaborating with a colleague from Colombia to develop the creative aspects of the menu. I create recipes for restaurants in Colombia and other parts of the world. Additionally, I am gradually working on my gastronomic project, “EME,” which will be launched in Bogotá, Colombia.

What is your guilty pleasure?

The fast food from Barranquilla, Colombia where I grew up. Everybody saids that is the best fast food in Colombia and is not a lie!! My favorite is the ” Desgranado de pollo” which is a mix of lettuce, tartara sauce (a lot of garlic and fresh coriander mayo), chicken marinated with soy, mustard, pepper, lemon and salt, caribbean cheese and crunchy potatoes.

What ingredient do you find overrated?

chugua.

What is your favorite kitchen tool?

my chocolate forest dessert, it is made with a maple syrup cream, roasted white chocolate crumble with pine, dark Colombian 70% chocolate foam, olive oil, malon salt, sweet and crunchy oyster mushrooms and dark chocolate ice cream. This is one of the last creations I made for a consulting work in Austria.