We had the good fortune of connecting with Vanessa Garza and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Vanessa, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor behind the success of my brand is definitely staying true to what I love and that alone helps me create incredible and delicious recipes. Something that I try to remind myself every day is… to not second guess yourself, being uniquely you is for sure the key to being successful.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Getting to where I am today has not been easy, on the contrary it’s been HARD, but I’m thankful and blessed to have endured the ups and downs of the industry and come out with a bang. After I finished Culinary school I started looking for jobs. So, I’ve done a little bit of everything, to me it was important to know EVERY single area of how (restaurant) kitchens work… started as a dishwasher, made my way up to prep, then line cook, then lead line, to Sous Chef and Chef. I don’t think I would be as appreciative of kitchen work if I had started as a Chef immediately. I do caterings and banquets for events, Ive worked with amazing Chefs, who’ve taught me more than Culinary ever did… I’m lucky to have a great support system within my family and my community they have been the fuel to my fire and will continue to be!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
This is a good one! I would start the day going down to Sugar & Scribe in La Jolla for a YUMMY breakfast/brunch, then make my way down to the coves to watch the seals and the ocean.
For lunch/dinner I’d go to so many spots but here are a few of my favorites for food & drinks:
Born & Raised (amazing cocktails and food)
Barbusa (for Italian food and wine)
Juniper & Ivy (everything is delicious)
Mona Lisa Market in Little Italy (Italian Market & restaurant)
Zama (drinks & music)
Tacos el Gordo (for real authentic Mexican tacos)
Comedy Club (drinks and laughs)
Crudo Cevicheria (for fresh seafood and sake)
Salt & Straw for dessert
Liberty Station (food haul & boutique shopping)
Better Buzz (for coffee and quick snacks)
El Camino Riviera (for food drinks and dancing)

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My grandparents and parents definitely play a big role in why I chose to go into Culinary Arts. As I was growing up I spent most of my free time in grandma’s kitchen, cooking, baking, tasting, getting my hands dirty… we would make countless buñuelos and besos de nuez (which is just Spanish for Pecan Cookies) for our neighbors and friends. My dad is the KING of bread and makes his own cheese, and my mom has the BEST seasoning, to this day I still think she leaves her secret ingredients out of the recipes she sends me because they never taste like hers!

Website: Www.blameitonthekitchen.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/blameitonthekitchen?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSocal is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.