On Episode 6: When Walking Away Is an Act of Self-Love, Leadership, and Living on Your Own Terms
Marcela Valladolid spent 15 years building a culinary brand inside a kitchen everyone dreamed of but someone else owned. She’s published six cookbooks: Fresh Mexico, Mexican Made Easy, Casa Marcela, Familia, Cocinando on Cook Street, Fiestas at Casa Marcela. She became the face Latinas saw on the Food Network when very few of us were visible anywhere on television. She smiled, she cooked, she represented us gracefully. And she did it so well that most people watching never suspected how much it was costing her.
Then she walked away.
Food Network called her back, incredulous. The message was clear: if you leave, you are not coming back. Marcela’s answer was equally clear: I’m well aware. This isn’t a negotiation. I’m done.
In this episode, Ana and Cristy sit down with the Mexican author, television host, entrepreneur, surfer, sober woman, and founder of Matriarca, the incredibly successful direct-to-consumer food brand she launched at 47 that celebrates the ancestral wisdom of the women who came before her with clean Mexican ingredients. Sounds familiar? (Pun intended!) The conversation turned out to be as honest, warm, and unfiltered as Marcela herself.
“You only got one shot. What are you going to do with it? The universe kicked you out because you didn’t have the courage to do it yourself.”
She also talks about what midlife has given her that nothing else could: the ability to trust your instincts unapologetically. “That’s the most beautiful part about this wisdom era,” she says.
This episode is for every midlifer taking ownership of her life, learning a new skill and not apologizing for any of it. This one is for you!
FAVORITE MOMENTS:
00:00 – 04:00 Intro: Who is Marcela Valladolid, the woman?
04:00 – 09:00 Growing up surrounded by matriarcas and finding her voice
09:00 – 15:00 The Food Network years: what performing costs you
15:00 – 22:00 Walking away and learning to receive the gift
22:00 – 30:00 Building Matriarca: roots, community, and the word tattooed on her hand
30:00 – 38:00 Sobriety and the choice she made for herself
38:00 – 46:00 Being messy, running a company, and why she needs you to know she’s not perfect
46:00 – 53:00 Midlife, motherhood, and living on her own terms
53:00 – Entre Sabias
About Matriarca
Chef Marcela’s Books
Follow Chef Marcela and Matriarca
Our podcast is bilingual, so episodes will be in English, Spanish, or Spanglish depending on our guests. You’ll find them labeled in our feed, or you can use YouTube’s dubbing feature to listen your way.
A few recommendations (no pressure!):
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Follow us on Instagram: @her.wisdomera | @anaflores_me | @mcristymmarrero
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Gracias por escucharnos.
Ana + Cristy
Episode Credits
Her Wisdom Era is hosted by Ana Flores and Cristy Marrero
Our producer and editorial coach is Laura Ubaté. La gran Lau.
Theme music and sound engineering by Stephen Hermann for Explosion Robinson AKA El Santo.
Social media by Team Belu, the best.
Branding by la diosa Leticia Vidaurri.
Our Executive Producers are Ana Flores and Cristy Marrero.
