Mariana Velasquez
Creative director in food experiential
Like many successful creatives in the food world, Colombia-born Mariana Velasquez counts cooking among some of her earliest and fondest memories. Her grandmother’s cooking got Mariana started, and she had her handwritten recipes leather-bound into a collection.
There were a lot of steps to get to where Mariana is now, marked by equal parts skill, passion, and gumption: she apprenticed at the renowned Post Inn in Big Sur, California, studied at the New England Culinary Institute, worked as a food stylist at Saveur, Bon Appétit, and Gourmet (to name a few), and held dozens of restaurant jobs. She loves the idea that you can create meals in an artistic way.
Today, Mariana is busier than ever. She styles both editorial and advertising campaigns, curates bespoke culinary events, is the founder and designer of Casa Velasquez (which includes everything from tabletop accessories to hand-drawn, beautifully designed aprons), has written four cookbooks (two of which are James Beard Book Award recipients), and collaborated on many more.
Q&A
When did you first cook for others?
I went to an all-girls school, and when I was maybe 12 or 13, celebrating each other’s birthdays became a big deal. When it was one of my best friends’ birthdays, I decided to make the cake. I brought it to school — I don’t even know how I got it there, I guess on the school bus — and I remember so vividly watching everyone come together to enjoy the cake that I made. In that moment, I understood the power of making food for other people.
How do you draw upon your Colombian culture?
My parents separated when I was six, and because of that, I spent a lot of time in both of my grandparents’ homes. My father’s mother was Lebanese, and I learned a lot from being in her kitchen. But my grandmother from my mother’s side was always cooking and always had me in the kitchen with her, and that’s why I say Colombia is my true muse!
Colombia is about welcoming people at your table, no matter what, and filling your home with color, art, music, and laughter.
What’s your earliest food memory?
I remember being in my grandmother’s kitchen, watching her make this dessert that she always made: In a Pyrex dish, she layered sweetened condensed milk and cream alternated with sweet cookies, topped with lime zest. To this day, the smell of lime zest transports me! I still make that dessert, although I do a slightly more sophisticated version.
Is there a place in the world that you enjoy most?
Being in Spain just always feels right to me, especially Madrid.
Les Cols is a dreamy seasonal restaurant in the Garrotxa region of Spain, run by the chef Fina Puigdevall and her daughter Martina Puigvert. It’s an exquisite property that includes a traditional Catalonian farmhouse and an ultra-modern dining room.
Hong Kong also feels like home to me in a bizarre way. The Murray Hotel in Hong Kong is just beautiful. I stayed there for a week while I created a new afternoon tea menu inspired by the Brutalist architecture of the building. It’s incredible.
Do you have a guilty pleasure, food-wise?
Sweetened condensed milk — I could eat it with a spoon!
Is there a food fad you really like? Is there one you don’t care for?
I love anything that comes out of the produce department, like trends with kale or cauliflower. I’m not a fan of excessively decadent and overly sugary things, so a fad like the Cronut is one I could live without.
We love off-the-beaten-path recommendations — what are yours?
Hog Island Oyster Company in Bodega Bay, CA serves the best oysters and clam chowder I’ve ever had in my life.
A16 in San Francisco has the best pizza around. The menu changes seasonally, and the team of this “neighborhood restaurant” is Michelin-star-trained.
For boutiques, I love Maryam Keyhani in Berlin — it’s my dream hat and headpiece shop.
Paula Mendoza Jewelry, in Bogota, has fabulous jewelry and incredible sunglasses.
Laboratorio Paravicini is a tiny hand-painted tableware store and workshop, run by the Paravicini sisters, tucked away in a hidden courtyard in Milan. It’s simply magical.
When it comes to hotels, La Posta Vecchia is on a gorgeous property an hour outside of Rome. It has the best textiles, décor, and gardens, and a delicious breakfast!
Troutbeck is a beautiful estate in the Hudson Valley that’s rich in history and charm. Since the 1700s, it’s been a retreat for artists, writers, and change-makers like Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson.
La Montecchia in Padova is nestled amid lush vineyards — it’s like stepping into a fairytale.
Who is an emerging creative you love?
Núria Aviñó is the sole heiress of the Clos Lentiscus winery, a family-owned maker that has been growing biodynamic wines near Barcelona for a couple of centuries. She’s doing wonderful things.
Can you describe your design process?
I start by sketching on paper, usually with mixed colors. I pull images that I find online and create a mood board. Sometimes a recent trip is an inspiration. Sometimes the aesthetics of a place I’ve visited can be an inspiration — a restaurant, a shop, a museum — where I look for colors and shapes. I pay attention to many disciplines — art, film, books, and fashion — and draw on all of them in my work.
Where do you find creative inspiration?
I find great inspiration in watching films. There’s a movie that came out recently, with Tilda Swinton, called I Am Love. The look and feel of that movie is everything to me.
All of the Pedro Almodóvar films inspire me, too. His unusual use of color and the mix of cultures, with all the nuances and idiosyncrasies, is so moving.
The Color of Pomegranates is another movie I saw recently, and it immediately made me want to create a meal based on the film.
What’s your idea of a perfect day?
It starts with coffee, always coffee! After that, I’d take a long walk and explore a new neighborhood. Maybe I’d find a perfect dress or a beautiful scarf to buy. I’d go to a great farmer’s market or antique market and have lunch with a glass — make that a bottle! — of wine. The day would end at home, watching a film.
What are the five things in your wardrobe you can’t live without?
A crisp, white shirt from Ganni, that has a high collar, a rounded hem, and seashell buttons that are the perfect detail. I can wear it tucked in or untucked.
Some old Armani pants that I bought in Florence about 12 years ago. They’re high-waisted, pleated, and the fabric is a very subtle navy and gray pattern. No matter what size I am at the moment, they fit me well.
One of my aprons. For so many years I wore chef’s whites, but now I can wear my own clothes and enjoy style. But, of course, I need to protect my clothes, so I always wear one of the aprons that I design.
A leather pencil skirt. It’s mid-length, buttery soft, and I always feel great in it.
One of my vintage trench coats. I have a few, I’m not going to lie. I stalk them on The RealReal!
Is there a color or group of colors that you gravitate towards?
I’ve always been drawn to various shades of blue, from pale shades like French blue to more saturated ones that have a bit of red or burgundy in them. I also love pink, in every version imaginable.
Tell me about your forthcoming book, Dinner Party Animals!
It’s a maximalist’s guide for how to entertain in your home and enjoy it! It talks about what to serve, who to invite, how to set the table, everything. It’s about how to give to others while also serving yourself, because I think that’s often lost for the host. My feeling is, forget the rules and the expectations and instead host the way you want to do it.
What’s something you’d like to try professionally that you haven’t done yet?
I have this dream that I’ll have a TV show about hosting at home. I want to show people that anyone can do it, it just takes a little creativity.
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Stunning images — and interview!
Love this interview, and what a feast for the eyes too!