Raquel Penzo

Connect Who or what inspires you to cook?

I'm basically taking up after my late grandmother; her food was amazing and people still talk about it. I think of her whenever I cook, as in, what would she do? How can I make a dish better? Healthier? How can I adjust it to meet different dietary needs?

What's your all time favorite dish to make?

I love making a Dominican sancocho, which is a meat and veggie stew, because it was my favorite dish growing up, but also I feel closer to my grandmother and my culture by making/perfecting this staple dish. She loved to make it on cold, rainy days (but I make it whenever!), and it even inspired me to write a short story based on her/my family a while back. It's so hearty and flavorful- it'll fix whatever ails you!

What would you do with the $25,000?

This money would help me pay for culinary school, a bucket list item I've dreamed about for years, and also for experiencing destinations where my favorite cuisines are made. My go to activity while traveling is to take a cooking class when I visit a new place: I made pizza in Rome, chicken tagine in Morocco, and dolmades in Athens. I'd love to do the same in India, Spain, S. Korea, and Cuba. Building up my culinary skills means that everyone in my life would eat well for the rest of my days!