For as long as I can remember, my two great loves have been the ocean and food.

I grew up in Iztapalapa, a vibrant borough of Mexico City, surrounded by street vendors serving tacos, tamales, pozole, and countless fresh produce. At the same time, visits to the Mexican Caribbean sparked my love for the sea – especially the Yucatán Peninsula.

My first career followed my love of the ocean. I worked as a marine biologist and eventually became the Director of the Puerto Morelos Marine Park in the Yucatán. In 2012, my husband Kor, also a marine scientist, and I moved to Australia to continue our work — with me landing my dream job on the Great Barrier Reef.

But food has always been my first love. Here in Australia, I felt a strong pull toward the food of my childhood. The Mexican food I encountered was often Tex-Mex – far removed from the food I grew up with. So, despite not being a trained chef, Kor and I launched Mi Mero Mole, a series of intimate underground dinners that introduced locals to the real flavours of Mexico.

The success of those dinners leads to something bigger: La Popular Taquería, which opened in Port Adelaide in 2017. Our taquería quickly gained a following for its commitment to authentic tacos – including house-made tortillas from nixtamalized Australian maize – and is now one of Australia’s most acclaimed Mexican restaurants.

Today, I continue to share my knowledge and passion for Mexican cuisine through festivals, talks, and media appearances, including SBS, The Guardian, and Broadsheet. My debut cookbook, Provecho: Real Mexican Food at Home, will be released on November 4 through Murdoch Books.