Hello!

I’m Ixta (pronounced Eesta)-cook, writer, not a chef.

My cooking is rooted in the places and cultures that have shaped me- Italy, where I spent part of my childhood; Brazil, where my mother’s from; and Mexico, where my granddad lived. I’m fascinated by the way ingredients travel, evolve, and intersect across cuisines and cultures. I began this exploration in my cookbook MEZCLA, and in my forthcoming book FUSÃO (which is available to preorder now!) the journey continues, this time through the lens of Brazil.

I’m a firm believer that there should be no rules when it comes to cooking. I didn’t go to culinary school and I resent being told there’s a ‘right’ way to make something. After all, most recipes exist because of experimentation and accidents. I want to help you tap into a spirit of curiosity in the kitchen and cook with creativity and instinct.

I’m not entirely sure what this space will become, but the plan is to tell you about what I’m eating, thinking, reading, doing. I’ll give you a window into my creative process, from idea > development > finished recipe. I’ll take you with me when I travel. I’ll tell you about how I really eat at home and why. I’m open to suggestions about what you might want to see, so message me!

I want to be transparent: Substack feels like the best way to keep doing what I do while receiving support to continue. Social media has created a culture where we’ve come to expect everything for free- but the reality is that recipe development takes time, energy, and resources. It’s a craft I’ve been honing for nearly a decade, long before reels (which are more about performance than passion) were a thing. With this Substack, the idea is to shift the focus from ‘content’ back to creation and connection.

For the time being, everything will be free while I find my feet and so you can get a feel for what’s coming. After that, if all goes to plan, I’ll share a mix of free and paid material: writing, recipes, travel diaries, life hacks, kitchen tips, behind-the-scenes glimpses, early access to tickets for pop-ups and events, that sorta thing…

Ixta x