YESBABE
December 30, 2024 / Photo: Courtesy of Paolo Verzani
Tessa Velazquez and Veronica Cabezas combined their love of cooking and community building to make a series of culinary experiences that bring chefs and diners together to celebrate global traditions.
Velazquez has helmed many food-focused ventures including Washington DC cafes Baked&Wired and A Baked Joint and culinary newsletter the Sobremesa. Cabezas is a former finance executive who moved to New York from Ecuador and began hosting meals in her home to build a network in the city. Both women met at a dinner hosted by Brazilian-American chef Caro Santos-Neves and connected over their love of cooking as well as their Latin heritage. This led to the launch of culinary and lifestyle collective YESBABE.
Using their combined expertise, Velazquez and Cabezas create bespoke culinary and catering experiences around the city. They also host their signature “En’tablao” series, of multisensory dining experiences celebrating different cultures through a Latin lens.
To create these events, the pair first identifies which regions and traditions they would like to highlight as well as culinary “guardians” of those traditions. They then consider which additional visuals or performances will create the most immersive, engaging evening for guests. They ensure that each featured chef is spotlit throughout the event and not stuck back of house. They also serve dishes around one large table, allowing diners to mingle and connect as they enjoy their meal.
Past events have highlighted Spanish cuisine in collaboration with the help of chef Juan Suarez De Lezo from El Quinto Elemento in Madrid, and carioca fare with chef Caro Santos-Neves (whose own dinner event Velazquez and Cabezas first connected at.)
In the coming year, the pair will expand their offerings to include curated culinary trips to Peru ( exploring ancestral agriculture with artist Luis Fabini through his series Harvest) and Italy ( offering authentic local experience inspired by Tessa's month living with Nonna Paula in Sicily.) They will continue to showcase local and international chefs through their dynamic dinner series, including a pop-up at Chelsea Market with Chef Juan Suarez de Lezo, featuring his avant-garde omakase blending Spanish, Peruvian, and Japanese techniques. They are also expanding to D.C. with events at an upcoming secret wine bar location opening in Feb 2025.
More about YESBABE can be found here.
