Marcela Valladolid

“I like risk takers. They're the ones that end up changing the world.”

“I think it's important to educate kids about food and let them help a little with the cooking and cleaning. That interaction is really important.”

“There's no insects in American cuisine? Not one? I don't think there are. That's so sad.”

“For me, candlelit is the only way to have a dinner. There are always candles at my table. And I like to have Luis Miguel playing in the background.”

“Huitlacoche is typically eaten as a filling for quesadillas or with any tortilla-based food. Also great stuffed in crepes.”

“We'll do frozen pizzas and then I'll get arugula from the garden and do a fresh salad over the top with shaved Parmesan. Or we'll buy a rotisserie chicken already made, and then we'll make tacos and a fresh salsa and we'll grill some vegetables to accompany it. We definitely try to make it a little bit homemade if it's not completely homemade.”

“When summer squash is freshly picked, all it needs is a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and maybe a hit of lemon juice.”

“You're only as good as the people who you surround yourself with.”

“There is nothing more satisfying to me than seeing people who eat my food have smiles on their faces. It makes the experience special.”

“In Mexico, where I grew up, women rule the kitchen. They control everything that happens; they hold the power.”

“My former assistant used to tell me I have a problem with cushions and she was totally right. The reason is because I'm constantly rearranging things in my house. And if I can't move a whole piece of furniture, the easiest thing to rearrange is cushions. I like to keep things fresh.”

“We do two things almost every week - either grilled steaks marinated in herbs or roasted chicken. There's always a roasted vegetable, like Brussels sprouts or sweet potatoes or broccolini - whatever's in season.”

“Supermarket cherry tomatoes do serve a purpose, but the flavor is vastly different than those from your own garden. Same for broccoli and snap peas.”

“Tart pomegranates that pop in your mouth make the perfect counterpoint to roasted chicken and salty-creamy feta cheese.”

“I use my Le Creuset dutch oven for everything you can think of. I even fry eggs in it.”

“I love to shop at the farmer's market or grab something from the garden and roast that.”

“It fills my heart with pride and joy that international food writers and press have taken an interest in Tijuana.”

“I love my molcajete, which is a Mexican mortar and pestle. There is no comparison in flavor to when I use a processor.”

“Entertaining is much more than a reason to eat and drink; It's a reason to bond with friends and families.”

“Usually when I have a salad it's pretty hearty, balanced and healthy and a full meal.”