I come from a simple family where I learned good values. I learned to fight for my dreams and to love my culture. I was taught to respect and value our ancestral knowledge.

As a child, my dad would enchant us with tales of ancestral legends around the tulpa while we ate dinner. This is how we would enjoy the delicious food my mother prepared with much love. The admiring thing about my mother is that she always surprised us with something exquisite despite not having grains in the house.

We didn’t have much food provision or the greatest feasts around the tulpa but it was always delightful to share as a family. Whatever the Pachamama (Mother Earth) provided we would enjoy.

When I was seven years old, I would help my mother around the kitchen by gathering sticks to light the fogon (fireplace). I would help set up the pot for the stew and start dicing up vegetables. The kitchen became my second class room.

My love for the kitchen began to blossom when I was in High School. I attended a High School that specialized in Hotel and Tourism. That is where I learned to cook my first meals. Afterward, I went to university to get my degree in Hotel and Tourism to start my lifelong dream.

In 2006, I had the privilege to travel around Ecuador with some American students from the Tandadna and Deer Hill Foundation.  After the trip, we arrived at my small town called Panecillo to have a family gathering and interaction. We made our first Quimbolito, which everyone enjoyed. The Tandana Foundation played a key role in starting our first cooking classes.

 As time progressed, I discovered we were losing our traditional Andean Cuisine in our communities. This is how we started cooking classes focused on our Andean cuisine to rescue tradition and culture. Kawsaymi, opened its doors to the public for anyone wanting to learn how to prepare 100% organic and traditional Andean meals. Our doors are open for national and international tourists, to anyone who wishes to try our unique meals with ancestral heritage. We also offer lodging, tourist trips, and a volunteering program.

I thank God for the natural riches of Ecuador because from our organic teas to a well-prepared diverse meal you can savor and feel its richness, flavor, and culture. The plurality of products obtained in our chakras combined with culture makes Ecuador a country rich in gastronomy.

“The poets reach the heart with their message; we cooks convert the products that the land offers and prepare the best delicacies that will be unforgettable in your memories and your palate will be delighted.”