The Strength of Women, the Flavor of Manabí

I was raised beside a manabita oven, a space alive with tradition and ancestral memory. My earliest years were spent with my great-grandmother, Dona, watching the magic move through her hands as flavors rose from the fire. The smells clung to my skin, the smoke filled my eyes, and my soul bonded with the land. For me, cooking has always been more than work. It is ritual, song, and sharing. I cannot imagine myself doing anything else but cooking, learning from other women, and building a better future for my community through our identity and food.

Though I always loved cooking, I also studied a master’s in gastronomic education because teaching is part of who I am. Today, I work with @icherestaurante, a project that was born to rebuild and regenerate Manabí after the devastating earthquake of April 16. At its core, it is food with purpose, and that mission continues to guide me.

I am a traditional cook. My training began at home, at the fire, and with the women of my family and community. Every flavor, every bite, was a lesson. Cooking provided us with the income to survive, helped us send our children to school, and remained an integral part of my path, even after marriage, when I began working in the restaurant of my husband’s family. That kitchen became my school, a space of trial and error, laughter and resilience, where I grew by doing, guided by the queens of the fire.

My first restaurant experience came when I took over an abandoned kitchen in my mother-in-law’s hotel. With only my own resources and knowledge, I transformed the space, learning alongside women from the community. Later, in 2019, I applied for the sous chef position at @icherestaurante. At first, I didn’t think I belonged, surrounded by candidates with Michelin-star backgrounds; I felt like “just a simple cook.” But my friends pushed me forward, and I was chosen. They saw what mattered most: my knowledge, passion, ancestral connection, and identity.

Those early years weren’t easy. I struggled to learn the language of a professional kitchen, and many times I cried alone. People doubted me, some even mistook me for a student instead of a chef. But I defended my culture, my technique, and my flavors, and they spoke louder than words. Our first menu embodied everything about me.

What keeps me inspired is the women’s community: the fire, the farms, the joy of creation. Together, we fight for recognition, for our values, and for a future where our traditions live on. One moment that will stay with me forever was during the earthquake, when we cooked day and night for firefighters and rescue workers. Another was when I first raised my voice to demand respect in the kitchen. From that day on, my boss began calling me chef.

My philosophy is rooted in democratic leadership. I believe in giving people the tools and responsibilities to rise and become the best version of themselves. I don’t monopolize knowledge or authority; I share it so that my team can shine. Cooking may be heavy at times, but in the kitchen, I have found the most loyal friends, people who never leave you alone, who share joy, tears, and purpose.

Among the milestones I am most proud of is being recognized as one of the leading traditional cooks of Manabí and being invited to an important congress such as Féminas 2023. But what matters most to me is the trust and respect I’ve earned from other traditional cooks, producers, and friends, people who recognize my knowledge and passion.

I love the community culture of restaurants: the open conversations, mutual respect, and generosity. What I reject is the envy, the showmanship, and the people who try to harm others for their own satisfaction. That is why we created the Red de Cocineras Manabitas, an incredible network of women working together to raise our traditions to the highest respect and to pass them on to future generations.

For me, the future is regenerative food systems, going beyond sustainability to create justice for local people. Food should bring joy, rebuild bridges, and make us better, more human. That is the path I walk every day: food as memory, food as identity, food as a way to dream of a brighter future for all.

Photo Credits Laura’s Story

Photo 1: Club Remiun, Photo 2: Rodrigo Rojas, Photo 3: Liss Betancourt, Photo 4: Rodrigo Rojas, Photo 5: Nat Geo Festival, Photo 6: Yeiko Moreira, Photo 7: Rodrigo Rojas, Photo 8: Manabí Produce, Photo 9: Rodrigo Rojas, Photo 10: Karen Toro.