Maricel Presilla facts for kids
Maricel Presilla is a talented chef, a food expert, and an author. She is famous for her restaurants, Cucharamama and Zafra, located in Hoboken, New Jersey. Before becoming a chef, she taught history at Rutgers University.
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About Maricel Presilla
Maricel Presilla has achieved many amazing things in the food world. She was the first woman from Latin America to be invited as a guest chef at the White House. This is a very special honor!
Awards and Recognition
Maricel Presilla has won several important awards for her cooking and writing.
- She was nominated twice for journalism awards from the James Beard Foundation for her articles in Saveur magazine.
- She was nominated four times for a James Beard Foundation Award for her cooking.
- On May 7, 2012, she won the award for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic. This is a big deal in the cooking world!
Her Famous Cookbook
Maricel Presilla is also a successful author.
- On May 4, 2013, her book Gran Cocina Latina: The Food of Latin America was named Cookbook of the Year by the James Beard Foundation.
- The International Association of Culinary Professionals also chose Gran Cocina Latina as the best general cookbook on April 9, 2013. This book shares many delicious recipes from Latin America.
Her Restaurants and Shops
Maricel Presilla owns and runs several places in Hoboken, New Jersey:
- She is the chef and co-owner of Cucharamama, a popular restaurant.
- She also owns Zafra, another restaurant.
- Ultramarinos is her Latin American marketplace, bakery, and chocolate shop.
She specializes in cooking foods from Latin America and Spain.
Her Background and Studies
Maricel Presilla has a strong educational background.
- She has a special degree in medieval Spanish history from New York University.
- She also studied cultural anthropology, which is about human societies and cultures.
- She used to teach history at Rutgers University.
Maricel's Work with Food
Maricel Presilla is very passionate about food, especially ingredients from tropical places.
Studying Cacao and Chocolate
She has spent a lot of time learning about tropical crops like cacao and vanilla.
- She studied how cacao and vanilla are grown.
- She also learned about how chocolate is made.
- She is the president of Gran Cacao Company. This company researches Latin American chocolate and sells high-quality cacao beans.
Writing and Advising
Maricel Presilla shares her food knowledge in many ways.
- Since 2003, she has written a food column called Cocina for the Miami Herald newspaper.
- She is on the advisory board for the Latin American food studies program at the Culinary Institute of America in San Antonio.
- In September 2009, she received the Silver Spoon Award from Food Arts magazine for her great work in cooking.
- She is a contributing editor for Saveur magazine, where she writes articles about food.
- She is also a judge and one of the founders of the International Chocolate Awards, which are based in London.
