What kind of food did you eat growing up?
Sofia: Mainly beans, rice, stews, fresh juices and fresh vegetables. It was all pretty healthy back then, all typical Colombian food. Sancocho is a very typical dish where I come from [Barranquilla, in northern Colombia]. It’s a stew made with either ribs or chicken, vegetables and plantain. It’s amazing!
Manolo: Since I was raised in the US, my favourite foods were cereal and McDonalds, and it wasn’t until later that I developed a palate for more exotic fare. As for Colombian food, it was arepas and these little white sausages called butifarra soledeñas that are served with the juice of a lime. They’re very similar to weisswurst but almost tangy, and they’re impossible to find anywhere except Colombia.
Paint us a picture of a family celebration meal. What does it entail?
Sofia: The first thing Manolo learned how to make was a Thanksgiving turkey when he was 14. So, ever since then, every Thanksgiving, everybody waits for Manolo’s turkey — he hasn’t been able to get out of doing it for 20 years. We eat stuff like turkey, ham, coconut rice, plantains. It’s the same turkey and ham [that they eat here in the States] but with some Latin flavours on the side. It’s funny because now we’ve been in the US for so long, we celebrate Thanksgiving a lot, even though we don’t really care about it. It’s just an opportunity to come together.
Manolo: I began cooking with my grandmother, my mum’s mum, but I really taught myself through watching food television shows, cookbooks and good old trial and error!
Sofia, what inspired you to launch your coffee brand, Dios Mio Coffee?
I’ve been complaining, since moving to the US, about finding the right coffee. I’m pretty much always on set, and the coffee there is horrific. I don’t really understand the coffee at places like Starbucks, that everybody loves, because to me it tastes burnt. For a while I was looking for who to partner with, and finally I found these women in Colombia [part of the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia] and I didn’t know that 30% of the coffee growers in Colombia were women, so that was amazing. We buy 100% of the coffee from these women. It’s a premium coffee so we pay a premium price for it. It’s a really nice partnership.
When it comes to food culture, what do you think Colombia does better than anywhere else?
Sofia: Probably coffee. Also, we have this culture of sharing with family and getting together a lot. I think we’ve nailed things like empanadas, croquetas and pandebono (a Colombian cheese roll), the sort of food we have at Toma [Sofia and Manolo’s food brand]. It’s food you can make in big quantities and share in a family gathering. I think we do that better than anyone.
What was the inspiration behind Toma?
Manolo: We wanted to launch a product that provided a little bit of Latin America everywhere you go. What’s the best kind of food to grab on the go? Burritos are Mexican, so they’re taken. We’re Colombian, and what do we eat? Empanadas! So that’s how we settled on those. Our partner, SBE, has been amazing at guiding us and making this dream a reality. We’ve also just launched a partnership with Nestlé, which will be helping us get our products into schools, bakeries and food halls. We’ve worked really hard to make the recipes authentic but also as interesting as possible — they’re not all typical. It’s fun. We have a chicken empanada, which isn’t something you’d really find — beef is the most traditional. We have a French onion empanada and an everything bagel empanada, too.
What are some of your other favourite cuisines from around the world?
Sofia: Italian. Everything they make in Italy I prefer. I love carbs, I love pasta. Pizza is my favourite thing in the world. What I love about Italian cuisine is that it’s simple, I don’t like food that uses a lot of ingredients and is complicated. In Italy, they have three, four amazing ingredients and that’s it. Lebanese food is also one of my favourites.
Manolo: Greek and Lebanese. I also think some of the best cooking techniques in the world come from France. You have to give credit where credit is due — they know what they’re doing with butter.
Do you have any go-to restaurants where you live in Los Angeles?
Sofia: I’m really into this new restaurant and I’ve already been three times. It’s called Alba, and it’s really tasty — they serve things like salads and meats. It really stands out in LA. There’s also a hamburger place I go to at least every week called HiHo. They use Wagyu beef and it’s spectacular. You can get it wrapped in lettuce instead of the bun.
Manolo: For me, it’ll have to be Bavel, a Middle Eastern restaurant in Downtown LA. The lamb neck is the go-to entrée there, but their breads, especially their fried pitta, is the winner across the board.
What do you love about living in the US and what do you love about Colombia?
Manolo: In the States it’s the opportunities; you can do anything, you can make it happen. And in Colombia, it’s the sense of humour; the outlook. Everybody is very happy.
Sofia: Yes, we make fun of everything, even death. In the US, your hard work pays off. Sometimes, unfortunately, in other countries it doesn’t work like that. In Colombia, my favourite things are my family and my friends.
Dios Mio Coffee is available at Walmart and Amazon. Toma is available at Walmart in the frozen food aisle, and ready-to-eat products are served in restaurants and bakeries across the US.To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
Dining and Cooking