Welcome to La Gourmandista®, my writing space. In it, I share recipes, gastronomy-related opinion pieces, as well as my thoughts which might frequently make you travel to your mother’s or your grandmother’s table.
I am a proud Mexican, but I confess that I learned about eating spicy hot food in my late thirties. The kitchen is the place where most of my childhood memories are stored since my mother wasn’t only my first cooking teacher when I was only 8 years old, but because it was the tool she used to lovingly and persistently present new flavors all through my youth.
I always wanted to be a cook, but it wasn’t until 2015 when I took on the adventure and cook in the stoves of Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, the famous culinary arts school. There, I studied traditional French cuisine and pastry, as well as oenology. Afterwards, I was lucky enough to work at a Parisian fine-dining restaurant accoladed with 2 stars in the renowned Michelin Guide. I learned so much in such little time.
When I went back home to Mexico City completely in love with the savoir-faire so proudly the French pass on, I was deeply interested in learning about what my land had offered the world. Who doesn’t love our delicious tacos? Therefore, I decided to get deep into Mexican Traditional Cuisine. I learned about nixtamal to make tortillas and the 7 moles from Oaxaca. I discovered ingredients, dishes, and festivities I had never before heard about.
It was then when I felt ready to reinvent myself professionally and work full time in a kitchen. The seed my mother had planted had now flourished and it was the moment to collect the crops. However, it was on the Northern side of the Rio Grande, in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. Here, I started to carve my way. First, I became a Kitchen Assistant, then as a Private Chef, and even as a Culinary Instructor. I was so excited every step of the way. One day, I saw myself teaching others how to make tamales. Who would’ve thought? So grab yourself a cup of coffee, a glass of wine, or whatever you’re into, and come with me in this journey of flavors and learning, since I think there’s always something new to discover when one enters the kitchen.
Oh, and bon appétit!
