We had the good fortune of connecting with Maite Gomez-Rejon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maite, what do you think makes you most happy? Why?
Creating experiences and having conversations with old and new friends makes me grateful and happy. If the conversation is over a meal it’s even better because deconstructing ingredients in a dish can take us on a journey around the world and demonstrate how interconnected and similar we all are. My husband and my dog make me happy too.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
For over a decade I’ve dedicated my career to exploring the nexus of art and culinary history through cooking classes, lectures, and tastings at museums across the country under my company ArtBites. I’ve also written numerous articles on culinary history, including one on the history of Mexican cookbooks for the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Latin American History.

During the pandemic I, like many, went virtual and my classes began reaching a much broader audience. When we were all stuck at home it was thrilling to create a virtual community with people in different countries united by a common meal. Most recently I’ve taken my career on the most exciting path yet with Hungry for History, a super fun podcast I’m co-hosting with my amazing friend Eva Longoria which focuses on Mexican culinary history.

I love what I do and am filled with gratitude that I’ve been able to carve a unique career path that unites the world through food and storytelling.

Maite Gomez–Rejón is the host of “Hungry for History” from iHeartMedia’s My Cultura Podcast Network

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love LA because there are a million cities within the city.

I would start with breakfast at Gjusta in Venice, a bike ride on the beach, a visit to the Getty Villa and dinner at Monte Alban for delicious Oaxacan food.

The next day a visit to LACMA and the Academy Museum and a stroll through the La Brea Tar Pits to watch tar ooze out of the ground are not to be missed. Some favorite eating spots near the museums include Mariscos Jaliscos, a food truck with great shrimp tacos, Lodge Bread for the word’s best sandwiches, Oste for wonderful Italian, Madre for mole and mezcal, and Mercado for carnitas tacos and margaritas. If you need an emergency cookie break, head to Milk Jar. For emergency ice cream, check out Ginger’s Divine.

Work your way east for a hike to the Griffith Observatory (stop of Bumsan Organic Milk Bar in Koreatown for milk and matcha soft serve ice cream). Have lunch at All Time before gallery hopping in the Arts District. Don’t miss Hauser & Wirth! Have cocktails at Manuela’s.

Save a full day to explore the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens and the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena. Take a break with lunch at Superba Snacks + Coffee and have dinner at Otoño in Highland Park.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’m lucky to have a community of friends and family that constantly inspire me and keep my mind active and curious. But I have to say that the person that has been most instrumental in my path is my mom. Always one to fuel my creativity, when I was a lost college freshman she encouraged me to take art classes. Art ended up being my major and led me to graduate school. Years later while at a crossroads working in the New York City art world, she encouraged me to enroll in culinary school. That is when I had the realization that art, food, and history were intertwined and my professional life really began. My mom always encouraged me to take risks and identified something in me that I hadn’t recognized in myself.

Website: https://www.artbites.net/

Instagram: @artbites_maite, @myculturapodcasts

Other: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/1119-hungry-for-history-with-e-102809913/

Image Credits
The main feature photo was taken by David Trachtenberg. The other 6 photo were taken by Maite

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