We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Cristina Bustamante. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Cristina below.
Hi Cristina , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
I come from a very big family. My dad is one of 9 siblings, and we were all kept close by my abuela, Yaya. Yaya had this unique ability to make everyone feel like her favorite. Every Sunday, without fail, she would cook something delicious and host a lunch for the entire family at her house. Anyone who could make it that week would show up, and we would eat and laugh and just catch up. She made it look so easy. It was not until she passed that we all realized just how hard it was to cook and gather so many people every week. It was amazing the love she had for all of us, and how she expressed it with food and the best hugs. When I had kids, I knew that I wanted them to know her, and I felt the best way to do that was to start cooking and learning her recipes. I knew it would not be the same as having her there, but it does feel like a piece of her is present when we are cooking and sharing a meal at home.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
We started Abuela’s Counter because we wanted to give people a place to get their start in the kitchen. We were both so blessed and lucky to have our abuelas and our aunts and moms who were able to give us a strong foundation and the confidence to make a delicious meal to feed our loved ones. Cooking can seem a little intimidating to someone who doesn’t have a guide. We want to be that guide. We are focused on classic Cuban recipes because that is a piece of the puzzle that is dear to us. When we make those classic Cuban recipes we feel connected to our roots, and we feel like it’s a beautiful way to pass down our Cuban legacy to our kids and hopefully beyond.
We have a You Tube channel and a blog full of recipes that we feel can really help get anyone started in the kitchen. Come check it out and give it a try. We bet you will be surprised with what you can do.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back on our lives, it is clear that there were many moments that prepared us to launch Abuela’s Counter. First Ani left her job as a reporter for the Miami Herald to go to culinary school. Her passion from cooking (that she got from her Abuelas and mom) were taken up a notch with learning new techniques and skills that helped turn her into the incredible cook and teacher she is today. Cristy was a lawyer before having her kids, and she wanted to do something that allowed her the flexibility to raise her family. Cristy was always a writer, and enjoyed sharing her life and journey on a separate blog and Instagram. We both had a love of food. We both loved sharing it with other people, and during COVID we combined our skills and our passion to bring Abuela’s Counter to life.
What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?
Our number one obstacle has always been time. The truth is we are two full time moms, and between all of the activities, homework and paperwork that comes with raising our kids, it’s hard to find time to build something. However in order to try and resolve it we have been sticking to our one day a week – no matter what- mantra. That means that one day a week we either meet in person or talk on the phone to organize our thoughts and what has to be done. One day a week we take a couple of hours to push forward on our goals and make time for us.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.abuelascounter.com
- Instagram: abuelascounter
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093660856912
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@abuelascounter
Image Credits
Lala Pereira
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