When Mirciny Moliviatis returned from working at El Bulli—considered the best restaurant in the world—she had two paths to choose from: pursue international fame or devote herself to reevaluating her country's cuisine. She chose Guatemala. And that decision changed everything.
Guatemalan cuisine reflects our history and identity. Few understand this as deeply as Mirciny, a chef and creator of projects that combine tradition and innovation, bringing the flavors of Guatemala to the world and demonstrating that cuisine can also tell inspiring stories.
In this conversation, Mirciny opens up about her story: from Saturday tamales with her grandmother Chave, to the most demanding kitchens in Spain, to the painful moment that redefined her purpose in life.
Mirciny comes from a family of tireless workers. Her father, a Greek immigrant, arrived in Guatemala on October 20, 1960, at just 16 years old, without speaking Spanish, seeking opportunities in America. Her mother, a professional woman, was involved in bringing the internet to Guatemala.
"Lead by example. I come from two parents who are my best friends. My dad came here with nothing, not knowing the language, to try his luck. And I don't think there has been a day in his life when he hasn't strived to be better."
— Mirciny Moliviatis
But it was her grandmother Chave who planted the seed that would define her life. While her parents worked, Mirciny and her siblings spent time with her, walking to the market in Zone 6, learning how to choose vegetables, and preparing Saturday tamales.
Her grandmother would dress up to go to the market: pretty dresses, matching shoes. It was a ritual. And on those walks, amid the smells of fresh vegetables and the excitement of preparing family lunches, Mirciny learned something fundamental: cooking is happiness, togetherness, family.
"I always saw my grandmother happy when she was cooking. She awakened that feeling in us with smells, flavors, and traditions. I thought my grandmother was performing magic."
— Mirciny Moliviatis
At 17, Mirciny had no idea what to do with her life. Like many young people, she faced pressure to choose a career that would "determine the rest of her life" without really understanding what life was all about.
Industrial Psychology: A year studying something that didn't fulfill her, following in the footsteps of her friends.
The discovery: A cooking diploma at IFES, recommended by his brother Basilis and sister-in-law Lorena.
The confrontation: An Argentine chef who told him he would starve to death. At that time, chefs in Guatemala were not Guatemalan.
First job: Pastry assistant at a hotel, discovering how much she still had to learn.
Spain and El Bulli: He sold his car, saved all his money, and went to learn from the best in the world.
In Spain, Mirciny arrived at the perfect moment: Spanish cuisine was booming, with figures such as Ferran Adrià, Juan María Arzac, and Martín Berasategui transforming the gastronomic world.
Working at El Bulli was a shock. Fifty chefs for 45 diners. A research laboratory. Obsessive attention to detail. Absolute perfection.
"In the third month, I called my dad in tears, telling him that I couldn't take it anymore, that I wanted to come back. It's 18 hours of work. But at that moment, I didn't understand that I was in the best restaurant in the world."
— Mirciny Moliviatis
His father gave him an answer that would change his perspective: "You decided to be there, so you stay there. You better figure out what you're doing wrong and why you don't fit in. Keep looking. If you keep looking and can't find anything, we'll talk about it. But right now, keep looking."
And he searched. He learned that he needed to be excellent. That he had to ask for help without shame. That excellence is ethical. That questioning oneself is part of growth.
More than culinary techniques, Mirciny learned a philosophy. She saw Ferran Adrià write books, give interviews, and win awards. She understood that gastronomy could be much more than standing behind a stove. It was an "eye-opening experience of everything that could be done with gastronomy."
In 2010, with an international career on the rise and a show on Fox Life, Mirciny faced the most difficult moment of her life: the death of her brother Basilis.
He had everything he needed to leave. He could have pursued fame, opened a cutting-edge restaurant anywhere in the world. But he chose to stay.
"I couldn't understand how something like what happened to my brother could have happened in such a beautiful country. And I asked myself, why? I didn't want to hate. I didn't want to leave. I needed to go where I was most needed, with inspiration, with work, with whatever I could give so that this would never happen again."
— Mirciny Moliviatis
That tragedy became fuel. Instead of looking for the ugly, he decided to look for the beautiful in Guatemala. And he found it in its cuisine.
There is no department, municipality, village, canton, or mountain in Guatemala that Mirciny has not traveled to. That journey through the country became his best university.
"I can speak authoritatively about Guatemalan cuisine because I learned it from the true guardians of gastronomy. These recipes have been passed down from generation to generation."
— Mirciny Moliviatis
What he discovered was revealing. He saw women making emulsions using ancestral techniques, the same ones he had learned in the most avant-garde kitchens in Europe. He understood that Guatemalan recipes hold ancient science disguised as tradition.
1. Knowledge: "For me, knowing meant: I already know and understand where this comes from, what I can do with it."
2. Respect: "You cannot innovate, you cannot recreate, or you cannot create from ignorance. You can do whatever you want from respect and knowledge."
3. Fall in love with flavors: Rediscover the richness that was always there, waiting to be appreciated.
"When you understand that Guatemalan cuisine feeds more than just your stomach, because it feeds your intellect, it's living culture that you're still eating. You eat a spoonful of Guatemalan food and you're eating culture, history."
— Mirciny Moliviatis
For 15 years, Mirciny and Gaby Moreno have collaborated on "Music and Cooking," events where Gaby sings and Mirciny cooks to raise funds. The project evolved into a book that won the 2025 Gourmand World Cookbooks Awards.
The premise was simple but profound: both music and cuisine have the power to transport you, to make you feel, to connect you with memories and emotions.
"You smell something and suddenly say, 'That smells like my grandmother's cookies.' Or you hear a song and know who you first heard it with. That's the power of food and music."
— Mirciny Moliviatis
The book includes QR codes with playlists created by Gaby for each chapter, plus videos of the recipes. A truly innovative project that demonstrates how two arts can complement each other.
Perhaps the project that Mirciny is most excited about is Gastrocultura: a conference that has brought the world's best chefs—Joan Roca, Albert Adrià, Andoni Luis Aduriz, Ana Roš—to Guatemala to share their knowledge.
The proceeds from exclusive dinners are used to provide scholarships for students. This year, they secured 500 scholarships for young people from all over Guatemala to attend the conference free of charge.
"My goal is to fill the National Theater with kids who come on scholarships from all over Guatemala. To bring 1,500 kids to a conference. We started with 100, then 300, then 500. And here we go."
He also created the first gastronomic work program where companies and the Ministry of Labor absorb the cost of paid internships, allowing students who need to support their families to complete their studies.
Passion: "When you have a job you enjoy, it motivates you. It wasn't difficult for me to get up at 1 a.m. because I was eager to see what would happen."
Courage: Crossing the ocean alone at age 20, with a VHS tape as her only reference. Staying in Guatemala when everything was telling her to leave.
Asking for Help: "Sometimes I didn't want to because I thought, 'They're going to scold me.' But I realized that I needed to ask for help in order to be excellent."
Excellence: "Excellence is ethical. It's constantly questioning yourself. That's what I learned at El Bulli."
Your Team: "You can't do it alone. Your team is crucial. My family team gives me emotional stability. My work team allows me to grow. If you don't value it, appreciate it, and nurture it, you won't achieve anything."
Beginner's Eyes: "I love surrounding myself with people who I know are going to be smarter than me, going to places where I have no idea what I'm doing. And suddenly I come out with everything I've learned."
As she concluded the conversation, Mirciny left a message for all women seeking their path:
"Seek out what makes you happy. Don't be afraid, because we all go through difficult situations. And don't be afraid to start. We've all started many times, over and over and over again."
— Mirciny Moliviatis
Mirciny's story shows that success is not linear. That the most painful moments can become the most powerful fuel. That choosing to stay can be the greatest act of courage. And that honoring our roots does not mean staying behind, but building from the depths of who we are.
