Originally from Venezuela, I became fascinated with cooking as I watched my grandmother make arepas and cachapas for us when I was growing up along the mountain-backed beaches of Cumana, Venezuela. I was her helper in the kitchen, and through her, I learned the how to trust my own sense of taste and cook without a recipe.

In my adult life, I spent 25 years in family and commercial kitchens across Italy and Spain, where I learned the traditions and secrets that elevate Italian and Spanish dining to an art form.

Today, I offer curated, custom menus of the best of Italy and Spain to private dinner parties in unique properties in Chicago; Saugatuck, MI; and Watseka, IL.

When you come to one of my dinners, you’ll experience dining the way it is meant to be — as a delight to the senses. From taste to smell to sight, each dish is designed to please.