Videos

Hi!!!! Here is a glimpse of my career and what I've been up to lately. 

 

I am an award-winning - some say, culinary innovator, trendsetter, and leader in the Food Service and Culinary Industry. I was honored to be named one of Fast Casual Magazine Movers & Shakers in 2018. I am creative, but strategic. The culinary and restaurant worlds make me the happiest.  

 

Recently, I joined PepsiCo as Associate Principal Research -, where I develop anything from products, new flavors and even new platforms for the PepsiCo and Frito Lay products. Prior to Pepsico,  I  was the Corporate Executive Chef for Travel Centers of America, where I was in charge of everything culinary. There,  I did  recipe and product development, menu engineering, recipe standardization, COGS (costing), kitchen operational efficiency, and representing the Company at trade and promotional events.  I also produced and edited training materials (videos / quick charts-plating guides ) and photos for promos and LTO's (Limited Time Offers), including voice-overs (English and Spanish) and food, and prop styling. The company operates food service operations in 44 states and there are 8 different proprietary brands . ​ I am also the former Corporate Executive Chef and VP of Research and Development (R&D) of Wild Wing Cafe, Backyard Burgers, and Schlotzsky's/ FOCUS Brands. I am also the former Senior Corporate Executive Chef for Subway Restaurants. Additionally, I worked for Disney Golf (Century Golf) as their Executive Chef and I was the Puerto Rico Ambassador and Executive Chef for the PR delegation at the Epcot Food and Wine Fest 2014 (Disney World, Orlando, FL).

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Before moving to the continental USA, and for over 15 years, I was a chef & on-air talent for multiple television shows. Some networks include Telemundo International, Univision Puerto Rico, Fox-Utilisima (Argentina), WIPR (a PBS Station affiliate), and I was the Puerto Rico hostess of Bizarre Foods – Travel Channel. My career has been showcased countless times on TV, in print, and online publications. Some of these include the Travel Channel, Cooking Network, Food & Beverage Magazine, Flavors and the Menu Magazine, 1851Franchaise.com, Fast Casual Magazine, Atlanta Business Journal, Latina Lista, Atlanta Business Chronicle, Atlanta Magazine, Caras Magazine, El Nuevo Dia, Primera Hora and The San Juan Star Newspapers, Imagen Magazine, Vea Magazine, and Buena Vida Magazine. 

 

While all these were happening, I owned CMI Culinary Group, LLC, a culinary & and food service consulting firm. There, I offered a range of services, from Recipe and Product Development, Public Speaker / Brand Ambassador, Food and Prop Stylist, Food Photographer, Culinary Instructor, and Lifestyle and Culinary Reporter. At the same time, I was Partner and Executive Chef at Guava Restaurant in paradisiac Culebra, Puerto Rico. The restaurant featured a menu inspired in world cuisines utilizing local (Puerto Rican) products as much as possible. In addition - and because I love to teach- for 7 years, I owned Let's Cook PR, a cooking school where I taught the wonders of the culinary world to adults and children from beginners to culinary professionals.

 

I am also a best-seller cookbook author, "Gourmet Para Todos Los Días" (Gourmet for Every Day), published in 2007. The book became the #1 cookbook in Puerto Rico (and #2 among all titles) for more than ten straight weeks, a moment in time I will never forget. In addition, in 2020, I wrote "How Angels Become Babies," a children's book about adoption, a topic that is dear to my heart.

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I  was lucky to have been born into a culturally diverse family. The family came Cuba, lived in Venezuela for many years and my great grand father was from Spain. Puerto Rico, is where I was born and spent my childhood.  I am bilingual (English/Spanish) with some knowledge/learning of French, Portuguese, Italian, and Catalan. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, cooking, wines, painting, photography, and now venturing into leathercrafting . In addition, I am an avid collector of restaurant menus owing over 700 from around the world and dating as far back as the 1800s. 

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EDUCATION

AS - Food and Beverage Management

Johnson and Wales University - RI, USA

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BA - Business Administration

Trinity University - DC, USA 

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MBA - Marketing

University of Phoenix - PR, USA

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CONTINUING EDUCATION

• Good Mood Food - Prague, Czech Republic

• Villa Maria Greek Cooking School - Syros, Greece 

• House of Fusion - Marrakesh, Morocco

• Tuscookany - Arezzo, Italy 

• The Culinary Institute of America - NY, USA

• Le Cordon Bleu - Paris, France

• l’Atelier des Sens - Paris, France

• Sky Kitchen - Cartagena, Colombia

• Cook and Taste - Barcelona, Spain

• La Conspiración de 1809 Cooking School - Morelia, Mexico

• Colette Peters Pastry Academy - NY, USA

• Academia León de Las Artes Culinarias - Caracas, Venezuela 

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ACCOLADES

• Named one of Fast Casual Magazine's "2018 Movers and Shakers"

• Professional Category - First Place Winner, O-town MacDown Competition 

• Hostess of Bizarre Foods (Travel Channel) - Puerto Rico Episode

• Best-seller cookbook author "Gourmet Para Todos Los Días" 

• Swany Award for employee excellence - FOCUS Brands

• TV Chef / Talent (Former) - Telemundo, Univisión, Fox Utilisima & WIPR - PBS

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