THE Mighty SPOON

Hi, I'm Maite! Food has always been my biggest source of inspiration. I grew up in Venezuela surrounded by the  food traditions of my Basque family. My hunger for these traditions led me to culinary studies and travel, and my desire to learn more about the foods that serve my body led me to training in nutrition-based cooking, meditation and yoga. Together, my background in culinary arts and mindfulness is built in a mighty passion: The Mighty Spoon.

 

My background spans from health-supportive cooking to food service to product. I hold a B.S. degree in International Business from F.I.U in Miami and a culinary degree from the health-supportive culinary arts school, The Natural Gourmet Institute in NYC. I was the restaurant manager at The Manhattan Inn and interned in high-end cuisine at the 3-Star Michelin restaurant, Martin Berasategui. In 2015 I moved to Austin, where I founded an additive-free bone broth packaged product sold at Texas Farmers Markets and created oyster pop-up experiences with Hotel San José. I also spent 2 years with the Bryce Gilmore family of restaurants, Odd Duck and Sour Duck Market, honing my skills as a chef and deepening my respect and relationships with farmers and local food producers, in the Central Texas area.

 

Enchanted by the beauty in food I eventually worked my way behind the camera lens, mentoring under Mackenzie Smith and developing a passion for food styling, working for Texas Monthly, Wholefoods, Cravings by Chrissy Teigen, and more!  Now, as a freelance food stylist and chef, I focus in commercial and editorial food styling with a deep knowledge in food and care for food waste management on photoshoots. I also continue to provide food content and classes to help people connect with their creativity and spark joy in their kitchen.