Jan. 11, 2026

EP94: Chef Eda Martin From Aspiring Doctor To Accidental Chef

Send us a text From aspiring medical doctor to celebrated chef and food scientist. Chef Eda discusses her early culinary inspirations, including her pivot from nutrition to food science, and her experiences working in the high-profile Los Angeles culinary scene. Chef Eda also explores the challenges of creating allergen-free menus and the innovative techniques she employs in her cooking. Additionally, she provides insights into her role at Microsoft and her current endeavors with Cocina Caser...

Send us a text

From aspiring medical doctor to celebrated chef and food scientist. Chef Eda discusses her early culinary inspirations, including her pivot from nutrition to food science, and her experiences working in the high-profile Los Angeles culinary scene. Chef Eda also explores the challenges of creating allergen-free menus and the innovative techniques she employs in her cooking. Additionally, she provides insights into her role at Microsoft and her current endeavors with Cocina Casera, including their popular dishes and upcoming product launches. With a focus on tradition, creativity, and inclusivity, Chef Eda's story is both inspiring and enlightening for food enthusiasts and professionals alike.

00:00 Introduction to Chef Eda Martin
00:35 Early Culinary Inspirations
03:33 Accidental Journey to Becoming a Chef
07:49 Culinary Influences and Recipe Development
11:25 Lessons from the Kitchen
13:43 Challenging Projects and Allergen-Free Cooking
15:32 Personal Stories and Foodie Adventures
23:49 CocinaCasera: The Restaurant and Future Plans
27:02 Conclusion and How to Connect with Chef Eda

Contact Chef Eda:

Email:

chefv2@gmail.com

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/cocinacaserame/

Website:

https://www.cocinacasera.me

 

Season2

Welcome Chef Steven Leung as our new cohost.

IG: themindfulwok



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WEBVTT

00:00:52.628 --> 00:00:58.558
Today we're thrilled to welcome Chef Eda Martin from CocinaCasera.

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She's a talented chef and food scientists who blend tradition, culture and creativity into every dish, and we can't wait to explore the stories and flavors that inspire her.

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Chef Eda, thanks for being on the show.

00:01:14.289 --> 00:01:17.019
Oh, thank you so much for inviting me to be here.

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It's a pleasure.

00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:27.259
And Carrie I'm really excited that you're here 'cause I know you love to drill down on those unique questions around, different things as a researcher.

00:01:27.799 --> 00:01:27.979
Thank you.

00:01:27.979 --> 00:01:36.229
Chef Eda, I thought maybe you could tell us about the first dish you ever remember cooking, or the first dish that really inspired you.

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So the first dish that inspired me Once upon a time, when I first started my accidental culinary journey, I did an internship, at a restaurant that was pretty well known in Los Angeles.

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And, we had a lot of specialty events with celebrities and things like that, which was really cool.

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And then I just remember, this was in the very beginning years and I didn't.

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Think of myself, obviously as somebody, seasoned in the culinary arts.

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and so I was listening and absorbing and learning everything that I, could from, from the executive chef of that restaurant.

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And I remember him saying, more butter is better.

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More butter is better.

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And I remember thinking, 'cause I always had this little nutrition love inside of me, and I was already in my bachelor's degree for nutrition.

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I was thinking to myself, I wonder if that's true, but I'm going to go with it for now.

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And then I guess some years later, some of the dishes that we did.

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I used a little bit of my food science background to make it with a different kind of fat.

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which was olive oil.

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And so I guess it was some sauces that I worked with, to emulsify and create dishes that were originally made with butter, but with a healthier fat.

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And so I thought it was really fun to be able to explore.

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So I don't know what the exact dish was.

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sure.

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But I just remember playing around and finding inspiration in that science bridge with food and nutrition.

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Yeah.

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That's, amazing.

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I, love that you can create and combine ingredients and figure out the science behind them.

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that's a, unique thing.

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Some people just cook, right?

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They just put ingredients together and other people really dig into the details and, the chemistry.

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Behind it.

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Yeah.

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I think those people are luckier.

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The ones that don't compute things, their life is a lot easier than mine.

00:03:57.350 --> 00:03:58.911
Yeah, because you, have to think a lot.

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you really have to think through.

00:04:00.860 --> 00:04:01.130
I think

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too much.

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I need to stop it.

00:04:02.790 --> 00:04:02.911
Yeah.

00:04:02.916 --> 00:04:03.930
I need to do That too.

00:04:03.930 --> 00:04:09.180
I work in technology now, and I'm telling you Yeah, that's why I pivoted back to food.

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I know how that feels.

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too much.

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Yeah.

00:04:14.370 --> 00:04:14.521
Yeah.

00:04:14.670 --> 00:04:17.971
And, Carrie works in technology too, so we, we share that together.

00:04:20.190 --> 00:04:27.060
Can you share a journey in your, in the culinary world, something that inspired you to become a chef?

00:04:27.060 --> 00:04:35.310
I know you were telling us before about it, how it was accidental, but was there anything, what was the piece that was accidental?

00:04:35.370 --> 00:04:37.831
Like how did you accidentally become a chef?

00:04:38.430 --> 00:04:41.175
Yeah, that's a.

00:04:38.430 --> 00:04:41.175
Probably a good question.

00:04:41.836 --> 00:04:46.336
so I was on a journey to become a medical doctor with a specialty in nutrition.

00:04:46.516 --> 00:04:46.696
Yeah.

00:04:46.755 --> 00:05:02.235
And I had to do a food practicum during my bachelor's degree, my first year bachelor's degree nutrition program because there's four different subjects, major subjects within the nutrition realm, and one of them is food service.

00:05:02.565 --> 00:05:07.966
And so you have to do a rotation in some type of commercial establishment.

00:05:09.540 --> 00:05:18.901
Although I had this little innate, love for screwing around basically.

00:05:18.935 --> 00:05:20.015
I don't know if you're allowed to say that.

00:05:20.255 --> 00:05:20.415
Sure.

00:05:20.485 --> 00:05:21.216
Kind messing around.

00:05:21.875 --> 00:05:23.281
You can say whatever you want.

00:05:23.490 --> 00:05:23.911
Okay.

00:05:23.911 --> 00:05:28.620
Messing around with, with ingredients and stuff, uhhuh and things like that.

00:05:28.980 --> 00:05:37.980
When I went to, an actual, commercial kitchen and I started, learning some of the things that they were.

00:05:38.911 --> 00:05:39.591
Showing me.

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to jump in and either prep or work with ingredients and how to work with particular ingredients, and then putting them together and then watching them come all together.

00:05:51.450 --> 00:06:03.031
I triggered something inside of me where the nutrition piece made a lot of sense with the culinary piece for me straight away, because nutrition has to do with eating.

00:06:03.510 --> 00:06:06.330
You have no nutrition without eating something.

00:06:06.661 --> 00:06:17.971
And so I know that sounds like it makes sense, but for some reason it's extremely disconnected in what I have experienced throughout my, professional career.

00:06:18.270 --> 00:06:20.850
But, that's okay.

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It just gives us opportunity and I guess it created an accidental niche for me.

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But what ended up happening was my journey had to do with going to medical school and Then on the side I was cooking.

00:06:33.810 --> 00:06:40.140
So after that internship I was asked to stay on, a few people had quit by the time my eight months was done.

00:06:40.411 --> 00:06:44.760
And then they said to me, Hey, would you mind staying on, we'll teach you more.

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I'm like, okay, sure.

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I'll do it on the side.

00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:51.100
So I just, Worked.

00:06:51.100 --> 00:06:53.290
I'm, I've always been persistent.

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I've always been a hard worker, whether I'm, being paid for it or it was a volunteer position.

00:07:00.221 --> 00:07:01.390
I take it very seriously.

00:07:01.870 --> 00:07:09.730
And so I just, really would absorb the information and really pieced it together throughout the years.

00:07:09.880 --> 00:07:12.310
To me, it like really fit like a puzzle.

00:07:12.700 --> 00:07:14.800
It was on the side the whole time.

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And I didn't take it too seriously.

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I just thought it was an added benefit to my education, but I didn't ever think that I was going to work in a commercial kitchen and actually be a chef of any kind.

00:07:30.221 --> 00:07:31.661
Yeah, I remember you telling me that.

00:07:31.841 --> 00:07:33.070
I, think that's amazing.

00:07:33.070 --> 00:07:38.325
It just you went down that path and it evolved from there.

00:07:38.895 --> 00:07:40.875
Can I ask you a follow up question?

00:07:40.966 --> 00:07:41.145
Eda?

00:07:41.985 --> 00:07:51.793
Just that you accidentally fell into that, but I was wondering how that actually influenced the way that you cook or you create recipes.

00:07:51.894 --> 00:07:57.794
The whole time, very, long time, until I became an executive chef again accidentally.

00:07:58.064 --> 00:07:58.245
Yeah.

00:07:58.370 --> 00:07:58.659
Yeah.

00:07:59.745 --> 00:08:01.754
sounds like a great title for a book, by the way.

00:08:03.284 --> 00:08:03.884
yeah.

00:08:03.944 --> 00:08:06.074
And I do want to write a book one day.

00:08:06.074 --> 00:08:09.500
I just have to hone in on what that would look like, but Cool.

00:08:10.484 --> 00:08:16.394
So I was just curious, you mentioned that you just fell into the restaurant cooking.

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Yeah.

00:08:16.639 --> 00:08:16.930
Yeah.

00:08:17.685 --> 00:08:21.314
so how did that actually influence, like the way you cook?

00:08:21.464 --> 00:08:26.129
So I know we tried your, cooking At Issiquah salmon days.

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I'm just curious how that helped you create new recipes or influenced the way that you cook.

00:08:34.815 --> 00:08:35.065
Okay.

00:08:36.264 --> 00:08:50.875
being originally from Russia and having a very significant sort of Eastern European and also Western European background, and then feeling like I have a connection with that culinary cuisine as I learned it.

00:08:51.264 --> 00:08:58.975
Because it's embedded in my roots and I know it well from, a cultural standpoint.

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What I find.

00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:04.509
Beautiful and enlightening is to.

00:09:05.125 --> 00:09:08.514
Look at every single ingredient as you work with it.

00:09:08.601 --> 00:09:10.642
look at the cuisine you're studying.

00:09:10.942 --> 00:09:23.632
Look at the, land and the people and the culture, and bring it all together into a dish, but very choosy when it comes to ingredients.

00:09:24.022 --> 00:09:35.542
Because now fast forward to now, I know how to manipulate what I need to, but back then I would always find myself questioning, do I have to use this ingredient?

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Can I use a different ingredient?

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And so it's that combination of everything was always very interesting and curious to me.

00:09:47.961 --> 00:10:01.372
Whoever I was working with as well and paying attention to, I would look at where they're from and, How they grew up and what they found near and dear to their hearts.

00:10:01.852 --> 00:10:14.032
And then, and then modernize it and then bring it to what we need today, what makes sense today, whatever today is, whether it was 20 years ago or right now.

00:10:14.122 --> 00:10:17.002
So I don't know if that answers your question.

00:10:17.032 --> 00:10:17.841
Yeah, definitely.

00:10:17.841 --> 00:10:18.112
I'm like,

00:10:18.142 --> 00:10:18.262
yeah.

00:10:19.807 --> 00:10:22.237
Very strange combination of thoughts.

00:10:22.927 --> 00:10:30.727
No, it's just fascinating because as a researcher, I do a lot of different things too.

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I bring design and research and everything together.

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Interaction.

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And I just find it interesting that, when people have professions where they bring in multiple layers of knowledge and their experience, I just think it's just brings a richer, position

00:10:52.807 --> 00:10:53.076
For sure.

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In the other to your cooking.

00:10:55.297 --> 00:10:55.507
Yeah.

00:10:55.507 --> 00:10:59.267
And the other thing is it's very challenging to explain what my wife does.

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It's just very challenging.

00:11:01.222 --> 00:11:07.522
Like she does a very unique blend of things with research and technology and design.

00:11:08.302 --> 00:11:11.872
And when I see her explain it, I'm just like, my mind is blown,

00:11:13.162 --> 00:11:13.581
Yeah.

00:11:14.392 --> 00:11:14.482
yeah.

00:11:14.482 --> 00:11:19.807
I can say right now I fixed computers, but I have a blend too, because I spent 10 years in hospitality.

00:11:20.586 --> 00:11:27.367
Developing those skills and being able to connect with people on a very different level than most technicians can.

00:11:28.086 --> 00:11:28.477
And being able

00:11:28.477 --> 00:11:43.477
to work with high level executives because I'm used to walking out into a dining room with angry customers, and remembering back when I was assistant manager in Napa Valley, I had to go out to a guy that got the wrong steak order.

00:11:43.477 --> 00:11:47.192
He got chicken fried steak instead of Chateaubriand, and he was.

00:11:48.022 --> 00:11:48.622
Pissed.

00:11:48.862 --> 00:11:49.792
And you can say that here.

00:11:49.882 --> 00:11:51.382
He was pissed.

00:11:52.792 --> 00:11:57.682
And so dealing with those kind of things, the other things that come along in technology are a walk in the park.

00:11:58.262 --> 00:12:02.312
Having that blend and skillset, it makes you very unique.

00:12:03.392 --> 00:12:05.012
And it's impressive to me.

00:12:05.612 --> 00:12:06.357
And so thank

00:12:06.362 --> 00:12:06.392
you.

00:12:07.052 --> 00:12:08.732
Yeah, of course.

00:12:10.022 --> 00:12:11.882
another curiosity.

00:12:12.002 --> 00:12:16.442
Are there any lessons that you learned from the kitchen that you think are valuable?

00:12:17.267 --> 00:12:25.937
Not only to teach people in the kitchen with your staff and such, but in life and further in your career.

00:12:25.937 --> 00:12:32.627
Is there any takeaways because, I pivoted from the restaurant business into technology and I brought a lot of that skillset with me.

00:12:33.047 --> 00:12:39.677
But I'm just curious what your perspective is in how people can leverage that in other places.

00:12:40.982 --> 00:12:41.432
Sure.

00:12:41.972 --> 00:12:43.892
you ask some tough questions.

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I think I'm a little resilient by nature.

00:12:46.682 --> 00:12:47.822
For various reasons.

00:12:47.822 --> 00:12:56.347
But the kitchen taught me additional resilience and I think, things go wrong constantly and.

00:12:57.162 --> 00:13:01.782
What matters is how quickly you can recover Under the pressure.

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And under the circumstances and how your team, you and your team work together to support each other.

00:13:10.572 --> 00:13:16.497
And that mindset has carried me through practically every role in my career and life.

00:14:13.492 --> 00:14:14.331
That's wonderful.

00:14:14.601 --> 00:14:18.591
That is absolutely wonderful because I, can relate to that as an assistant manager.

00:14:19.552 --> 00:14:24.892
And I remember being like two o'clock in the morning or five, five o'clock in the morning.

00:14:24.892 --> 00:14:33.382
00 AM and I have to balance the till, meaning all the money has to balance from the restaurant, and I'm so tired.

00:14:33.757 --> 00:14:36.787
That all I can think about is going to sleep and the till doesn't balance.

00:14:36.787 --> 00:14:42.367
30 and I'm not panicking, I'm just dealing with it.

00:14:42.877 --> 00:14:45.877
I'm just like, you have to get through this and then you do.

00:14:46.567 --> 00:14:52.836
And later in life, for me, it paid off because I came across those challenging situations and they were much easier to face.

00:14:52.927 --> 00:14:55.236
And that's what I really feel that you're saying.

00:14:55.867 --> 00:14:56.647
it's, powerful.

00:14:57.367 --> 00:14:57.456
Yeah.

00:14:57.456 --> 00:14:58.326
The skills that you learn.

00:14:59.356 --> 00:15:00.067
Carrie, what do you got?

00:15:01.067 --> 00:15:10.606
I'm just curious about one of, what has been the most challenging dishes or projects In your career, and how did you approach it?

00:15:11.326 --> 00:15:13.096
I really admire you.

00:15:13.361 --> 00:15:22.277
How you think about your team, that's so important, team coordination for what you do.

00:15:22.326 --> 00:15:23.767
So I'm just curious about that.

00:15:24.846 --> 00:15:34.476
I had a really big project, in the last sort of decade time where I created an allergen free.

00:15:36.907 --> 00:15:39.486
20 allergen free restaurant concepts.

00:15:39.997 --> 00:15:40.387
Oh, wow.

00:15:40.387 --> 00:15:48.216
And, I I would say that hands down, that was like the toughest, most challenging thing I've ever done.

00:15:49.297 --> 00:16:02.767
'cause when you remove the top nine allergens in this country, the top nine allergens are wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, peanut, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, and sesame.

00:16:02.767 --> 00:16:03.007
Now.

00:16:04.341 --> 00:16:05.356
and you removed sesame.

00:16:05.377 --> 00:16:05.596
Wow.

00:16:06.037 --> 00:16:06.437
I didn't know.

00:16:06.442 --> 00:16:06.532
Yeah,

00:16:06.532 --> 00:16:08.182
that's a couple years ago.

00:16:08.182 --> 00:16:09.471
That one kicked in.

00:16:09.861 --> 00:16:10.461
That's sad.

00:16:10.552 --> 00:16:12.067
I love sesame.

00:16:13.461 --> 00:16:13.642
Yeah.

00:16:13.642 --> 00:16:15.502
You can have it if you're not allergic to it.

00:16:15.711 --> 00:16:19.341
But apparently, statistics show many people are allergic to it.

00:16:19.792 --> 00:16:26.211
it's also interesting that coconut is considered an allergen in some cases'cause it's got the word nut in it.

00:16:26.211 --> 00:16:26.961
So Interesting.

00:16:27.201 --> 00:16:28.956
And it's technically not a nut.

00:16:29.956 --> 00:16:40.637
Both these ingredients, a lot of them are the heart of many recipes, and I, of course had to rethink, from the ground up what to do and how we're gonna do it.

00:16:40.637 --> 00:16:49.367
The approach and, of course have to lean significantly on science and understanding functional ingredients.

00:16:49.742 --> 00:16:53.012
Natural thickeners proteins, fermentation.

00:16:53.822 --> 00:16:55.442
flavor layering, all of that.

00:16:55.442 --> 00:16:55.502
Wow.

00:16:55.951 --> 00:17:04.772
So instead of replacing an allergen with a substitute, I built recipes that designed them to shine without it, if you will.

00:17:04.772 --> 00:17:05.042
Interesting.

00:17:06.662 --> 00:17:11.072
yeah, so that was probably my most challenging, I guess to date.

00:17:11.372 --> 00:17:12.842
Absolutely fascinating.

00:17:13.817 --> 00:17:14.867
I have to come clean.

00:17:14.867 --> 00:17:16.397
I am not a chef.

00:17:17.717 --> 00:17:18.227
I'm a foodie.

00:17:18.227 --> 00:17:18.797
Tell her why.

00:17:19.127 --> 00:17:19.457
Tell her.

00:17:19.457 --> 00:17:20.657
Tell her real quick.

00:17:20.836 --> 00:17:23.152
No, it's a long story, but it's beautiful.

00:17:23.461 --> 00:17:27.767
When I was in college, I took care of a 95-year-old lady I was a live-in.

00:17:28.606 --> 00:17:35.612
I did not have cooking skills when I. Took her on and moved in with her.

00:17:36.062 --> 00:17:42.242
And I would try so hard, to make these recipes out of a single Betty Crocker cookbook.

00:17:42.721 --> 00:17:45.632
And she had this very antiquated kitchen too.

00:17:45.632 --> 00:18:01.576
I. I honestly, I was going to school, taking care of her and cooking, and at the end of the day, she would tell her social worker, oh, that girl, all she makes is a cold plate of mashed potatoes, a pickle.

00:18:01.892 --> 00:18:07.321
A piece of bread and a pickle on the top, and it devastated me when I was 18.

00:18:08.491 --> 00:18:18.422
so I just lost interest in trying, but I'm still a foodie and but I appreciate the science part of this so much.

00:18:19.031 --> 00:18:21.341
She probably did you a favor, really?

00:18:23.801 --> 00:18:25.122
Boy, I'd like to believe that.

00:18:25.122 --> 00:18:28.787
I don't think my husband believes that, but No, actually

00:18:29.351 --> 00:18:30.912
I think, she's a really good cook.

00:18:32.652 --> 00:18:39.912
but she, she always tells me that all I ever do is talk about it because I'm on the podcast, so I know how to cook.

00:18:39.912 --> 00:18:40.751
I love to cook.

00:18:41.031 --> 00:18:42.101
I love to be creative.

00:18:42.101 --> 00:18:43.721
I love to create amazing dishes.

00:18:44.923 --> 00:18:44.932
And.

00:18:45.251 --> 00:18:49.751
I don't have as much time because I'm podcasting and editing and doing these other things.

00:18:49.751 --> 00:18:49.841
Sure.

00:18:50.591 --> 00:18:52.901
Plus my day job to support the podcast.

00:18:54.281 --> 00:18:57.911
so it's, unique, but it's funny.

00:18:58.031 --> 00:19:02.171
And then I asked her one day, I said, what chefs do you follow?

00:19:02.201 --> 00:19:03.942
'cause she was the very first interview.

00:19:04.182 --> 00:19:05.381
It was called Stay Hungry.

00:19:05.381 --> 00:19:07.061
And it was about that story you just heard.

00:19:07.961 --> 00:19:11.741
And I said to her at the end of the episode, I said, so what chefs do you follow?

00:19:11.861 --> 00:19:14.231
And she goes, I follow you to the microwave.

00:19:15.821 --> 00:19:19.091
And so that gives you like a little bit of taste of Carrie.

00:19:19.169 --> 00:19:19.439
funny.

00:19:19.439 --> 00:19:19.500
Yeah.

00:19:19.642 --> 00:19:27.495
I can't imagine trying to combine, the science part with the food part and the restaurant side is probably.

00:19:27.592 --> 00:19:28.868
Really difficult.

00:19:28.876 --> 00:19:34.636
My grandmother who lived to 102 with a very high quality of life until the end.

00:19:34.726 --> 00:19:34.936
Wow.

00:19:34.966 --> 00:19:39.728
She would always say everything is difficult when you don't know how to do it.

00:19:42.338 --> 00:19:43.091
Very, true

00:19:43.091 --> 00:19:45.101
if you know how to do it, it's not difficult.

00:19:45.401 --> 00:19:48.851
people ask me actually that all the time, is this hard to do?

00:19:49.481 --> 00:19:51.432
And then I, that's always my answer.

00:19:51.491 --> 00:19:51.551
Yeah.

00:19:51.551 --> 00:19:53.561
Everything's hard if you don't know how to do it.

00:19:53.692 --> 00:19:54.831
What you all do.

00:19:54.831 --> 00:20:00.991
I don't know how to do, but like I can't go fix all that stuff with technology., It's hard.

00:20:01.731 --> 00:20:06.718
We're gonna get to a couple other quick questions 'cause I really wanna honor what you do.

00:20:06.718 --> 00:20:07.617
that's with sincerity.

00:20:07.617 --> 00:20:10.887
When we came to your food truck, that was amazing.

00:20:11.217 --> 00:20:12.507
the food was incredible.

00:20:13.107 --> 00:20:17.847
Love South American food and Carrie's connected to the culture a little bit.

00:20:18.011 --> 00:20:30.581
can you tell us a little bit more and dive back to LA what went on in la You were talking briefly about that, but you mentioned before that you did a birthday party for, for George

00:20:31.051 --> 00:20:35.161
many things went on in la many things.

00:20:35.161 --> 00:20:38.161
, Lived there on and off for a very long time.

00:20:39.461 --> 00:20:44.351
And it's interesting now that I live in Seattle, I really miss Los Angeles a lot.

00:20:44.531 --> 00:20:44.682
Okay.

00:20:44.981 --> 00:20:46.182
I used to not miss it.

00:20:46.182 --> 00:20:46.271
Fair.

00:20:46.271 --> 00:20:47.111
But now I do.

00:20:47.411 --> 00:20:48.011
Oh my gosh.

00:20:48.011 --> 00:20:49.481
Just for the sun alone, right?

00:20:50.861 --> 00:20:52.001
No, not for that reason.

00:20:52.006 --> 00:20:52.666
No, but that's okay.

00:20:52.726 --> 00:20:52.976
Oh, no, that's okay.

00:20:53.351 --> 00:20:53.621
Okay.

00:20:53.711 --> 00:20:54.192
Okay.

00:20:55.001 --> 00:21:03.281
No, I actually really actually Seattle weather, I, really like it because I'm a skier, so for me it's, really great.

00:21:03.791 --> 00:21:07.121
And slopes are only an hour away, so that's what I do in the winter time.

00:21:07.151 --> 00:21:07.781
Nice.

00:21:08.161 --> 00:21:10.831
But at least not, when I can.

00:21:12.601 --> 00:21:15.871
so Los Angeles was many things.

00:21:16.531 --> 00:21:26.641
I did research in schizophrenia and weight gain there, for on and off for 16 years during my medical slash nutrition years.

00:21:28.231 --> 00:21:31.921
I worked for a catering company, a very well known catering company.

00:21:32.521 --> 00:21:33.601
so like when.

00:21:34.151 --> 00:21:38.771
Somebody, some other company did the Oscars, we did the Emmys and vice versa.

00:21:39.821 --> 00:21:43.751
so I was one of their specialty events chefs and that was really great.

00:21:43.781 --> 00:21:47.651
And I did a lot of celebrity events and things like that, which were really fun.

00:21:47.801 --> 00:21:47.921
Cool.

00:21:47.981 --> 00:21:49.451
And a lot of award shows.

00:21:51.676 --> 00:21:57.136
And, I gained a lot of experience over the years, like It was really fun to do specialty events.

00:21:57.286 --> 00:22:01.336
I always had my education piece that, that I was going through.

00:22:01.336 --> 00:22:04.276
'cause I went to school for a total of 14 years probably.

00:22:04.276 --> 00:22:04.336
Wow.

00:22:04.846 --> 00:22:08.986
And then on the side I was cooking, on the other side I was modeling.

00:22:09.976 --> 00:22:10.606
Wow.

00:22:10.606 --> 00:22:10.817
And on you.

00:22:11.251 --> 00:22:12.001
Wow, that's awesome.

00:22:12.001 --> 00:22:24.481
And on the other side, I was, always had two additional, I had my main job and then I had additional jobs like consulting for restaurants or bakeries to help them get their businesses up and running and things like that.

00:22:24.481 --> 00:22:24.601
Okay, nice.

00:22:24.841 --> 00:22:27.301
So I always had a lot of jobs.

00:22:28.711 --> 00:22:29.817
Wow, that's fun.

00:22:29.817 --> 00:22:33.866
And just, I'd much rather be busy than not have enough to do.

00:22:36.116 --> 00:22:41.726
We talked before, and I remember you mentioned something about Microsoft and running the show there.

00:22:42.296 --> 00:22:43.976
can you tell us a little more about that?

00:22:44.123 --> 00:22:50.953
I was recruited to come and, oversee, Microsoft's food program As the wellness director.

00:22:51.463 --> 00:22:53.384
And I was there for a total six years.

00:22:53.384 --> 00:22:56.653
And then that's where I was always also one of three regional chefs.

00:22:56.653 --> 00:22:58.033
So I had the concepts.

00:22:58.423 --> 00:23:04.603
That's where I did the allergen free, nice unit with the 20 restaurants in there.

00:23:04.663 --> 00:23:07.853
That's amazing what, originally brought me to Seattle.

00:23:07.958 --> 00:23:12.578
That's exciting to think that we probably ate your food when we were there.

00:23:12.638 --> 00:23:14.948
We were at Microsoft, both of us.

00:23:15.398 --> 00:23:16.118
That's exciting.

00:23:16.178 --> 00:23:17.678
We met basically at Microsoft.

00:23:17.738 --> 00:23:18.248
Literally.

00:23:18.338 --> 00:23:18.578
Yeah.

00:23:18.578 --> 00:23:19.269
That's awesome.

00:23:19.269 --> 00:23:19.928
I had a,

00:23:20.228 --> 00:23:24.608
Obviously I had a lot of, chefs in different units.

00:23:24.608 --> 00:23:35.259
I was Part of creating, concepts and the nutrition piece and a lot of specific programs like vegetarian, vegan, allergen conscious.

00:23:35.263 --> 00:23:37.693
Those kinds of things were my focus.

00:23:37.903 --> 00:23:38.144
Very nice.

00:23:39.283 --> 00:23:44.173
yeah, a lot of training and, standardizing recipes and things like that.

00:23:44.173 --> 00:23:48.853
So yeah, there were, we had a humongous team of chefs.

00:23:49.378 --> 00:23:49.668
Okay.

00:23:50.683 --> 00:23:56.773
And before we run out of time, I wanna make sure, very important to mention a couple things.

00:23:56.773 --> 00:24:02.668
So tell us a little bit about your website and what, does that stand for?

00:24:02.988 --> 00:24:03.644
What is that about?

00:24:05.033 --> 00:24:12.863
Four elements is what I originally started to be like a, how do I say this?

00:24:14.003 --> 00:24:18.203
like my professional portfolio kind of website to illustrate.

00:24:18.983 --> 00:24:24.058
Everything, maybe not everything, but the highlights of what I've done and what people can.

00:24:25.448 --> 00:24:28.568
Find me for or to hire me for, if you will.

00:24:28.568 --> 00:24:33.398
Or when they ask questions, I can refer 'em to that site and they can see a little bit more about me.

00:24:34.238 --> 00:24:45.308
it has now turned into my nutrition private practice site, and so I do private practice as well now credentialed with insurance now.

00:24:45.488 --> 00:24:47.408
So I use it for that.

00:24:47.408 --> 00:24:47.468
Wow.

00:24:48.698 --> 00:24:49.943
and it, it goes through.

00:24:51.894 --> 00:25:00.593
Through the different pages, explore it, it talks about my philosophy, and then it goes into things like my cooking experience.

00:25:00.923 --> 00:25:11.363
My professor teaching experience, the, catering, and pretty much every aspect of what I've done.

00:25:11.363 --> 00:25:15.323
And when you scroll down a little bit, it has a lot of the companies.

00:25:16.148 --> 00:25:25.358
Scrolling through, that I have worked for over the years pertaining to those different subject matters, if you will.

00:25:25.658 --> 00:25:26.168
Amazing.

00:25:26.253 --> 00:25:26.543
Yeah.

00:25:26.813 --> 00:25:27.303
Amazing.

00:25:27.788 --> 00:25:30.488
You've done a lot of really, interesting things.

00:25:31.058 --> 00:25:33.848
And can you tell us about the restaurant because, oh, yes.

00:25:34.628 --> 00:25:34.958
Yeah.

00:25:34.958 --> 00:25:36.788
So the restaurant is really exciting.

00:25:37.628 --> 00:25:42.668
it's doing pretty well, for a newer restaurant I would say.

00:25:42.831 --> 00:25:46.468
It's, slowly but surely people are getting to know us a little bit more and more.

00:25:46.596 --> 00:25:51.562
And, it's the words CocinaCasera translate to Homey kitchen.

00:25:51.592 --> 00:25:51.612
Ah.

00:25:53.186 --> 00:25:56.904
the idea is for, the restaurant to.

00:25:57.062 --> 00:25:59.762
Celebrate South American cuisine.

00:26:00.272 --> 00:26:14.885
And Latin culture, along with its, the background of it where it has, lots of tradition, lots of influences from Europe, from Asia indigenous.

00:26:15.695 --> 00:26:16.445
Et cetera.

00:26:16.895 --> 00:26:19.535
And we celebrate that from the different countries.

00:26:19.535 --> 00:26:23.105
We draw from the different countries to inspire the dishes.

00:26:23.525 --> 00:26:30.856
And we have this, homey and real rooted in tradition approach.

00:26:30.994 --> 00:26:37.334
but designed for our modern life and we focus on inclusivity and sustainability and balance.

00:26:38.419 --> 00:26:42.289
And we try to create foods that welcomes everybody.

00:26:42.589 --> 00:26:47.269
So honoring South American roots while celebrating creativity.

00:26:48.049 --> 00:26:48.469
I love it.

00:26:48.469 --> 00:26:50.089
Is our thought.

00:26:50.480 --> 00:26:52.129
I can't wait to try that.

00:26:52.230 --> 00:26:53.069
I look forward to that.

00:26:53.074 --> 00:26:54.569
Oh, that, that will be amazing.

00:26:54.569 --> 00:26:58.139
But we tried your food truck and that was, oh my God, it's so good.

00:26:58.289 --> 00:26:59.579
Especially yuca fries.

00:27:00.269 --> 00:27:02.414
Love, Yucca fries.

00:27:02.534 --> 00:27:02.924
Thank you.

00:27:03.524 --> 00:27:06.284
anything stand out dishes that you could talk about?

00:27:06.384 --> 00:27:06.834
Sure.

00:27:07.344 --> 00:27:14.694
we, our most popular dishes are, we rotate through our empanadas from different countries of South America.

00:27:14.754 --> 00:27:14.784
Okay.

00:27:14.784 --> 00:27:16.224
So that's really fun for people.

00:27:16.254 --> 00:27:16.404
Cool.

00:27:16.584 --> 00:27:26.939
They, I think they come in looking forward to which country we're doing are Pabellón Criollo like a bento box, kind of Asia meat, Latin in which most popular one.

00:27:26.939 --> 00:27:27.240
That's cool.

00:27:27.329 --> 00:27:30.179
And then we have our s and yuka fries that you mentioned.

00:27:30.269 --> 00:27:31.019
And our sauces.

00:27:31.019 --> 00:27:31.230
That's good.

00:27:31.409 --> 00:27:35.609
So our sauces really stand out because we are about to launch them.

00:27:35.819 --> 00:27:37.139
Tell us about that for sure.

00:27:37.139 --> 00:27:39.929
Yeah, we're launching them now as we speak.

00:27:40.019 --> 00:27:40.049
Okay.

00:27:40.379 --> 00:27:47.069
to be on shelves and possibly on Amazon or definitely in store right before the holidays.

00:27:47.490 --> 00:27:51.449
And we're also developing a bunch of merch, so that'll be fun.

00:27:51.804 --> 00:27:52.494
Nice.

00:27:52.644 --> 00:27:53.064
Yeah.

00:27:53.254 --> 00:27:53.849
The sauces were

00:27:53.849 --> 00:27:54.869
so good.

00:27:55.379 --> 00:27:56.399
I, really enjoyed it.

00:27:56.429 --> 00:27:56.490
Yeah.

00:27:57.000 --> 00:27:57.599
Thank you.

00:27:58.019 --> 00:28:01.109
the avocado pepper sauce is probably the most popular.

00:28:01.230 --> 00:28:01.409
Okay.

00:28:01.439 --> 00:28:06.929
But, people that love spicy are really happy with the spiciness of the Picante.

00:28:07.379 --> 00:28:11.339
And then there's of course, some people that can't handle that level of spiciness.

00:28:11.339 --> 00:28:14.399
So we did create a middle version

00:28:14.699 --> 00:28:15.054
right here.

00:28:16.154 --> 00:28:17.494
And it's the pimento rojo.

00:28:17.529 --> 00:28:18.939
So it's medium, spicy,

00:28:18.939 --> 00:28:31.959
i'm just telling the world right now, all around the world, 'cause we're in 90 countries, but I mean there's, not a billion people, but it's just spread out that Carrie and I can't handle spice.

00:28:33.129 --> 00:28:34.089
Just so you know.

00:28:34.509 --> 00:28:36.189
So the avocado was amazing.

00:28:36.434 --> 00:28:36.724
Yeah.

00:28:36.730 --> 00:28:37.119
Yeah.

00:28:37.179 --> 00:28:38.679
So you can handle the avocado pepper.

00:28:38.679 --> 00:28:39.009
Oh yeah.

00:28:39.250 --> 00:28:39.519
Yeah.

00:28:39.819 --> 00:28:40.629
that's fantastic.

00:28:40.839 --> 00:28:41.079
Yeah.

00:28:41.709 --> 00:28:43.359
but your food is incredible.

00:28:44.469 --> 00:28:50.079
and the last thing I wanna say is before we run outta time, how do people find you?

00:28:50.079 --> 00:28:51.969
How do we come to see you?

00:28:51.969 --> 00:28:53.355
How do we find you on your website..

00:28:55.319 --> 00:28:58.500
The most that people have found us was on Google.

00:28:58.549 --> 00:29:03.230
//cocinacasera.me/ you can find us on social.

00:29:03.230 --> 00:29:06.379
I'm actually working on a TikTok and YouTube channel now.

00:29:06.439 --> 00:29:06.709
Awesome.

00:29:06.709 --> 00:29:19.609
Where I'm going to help people find little tips and tricks on how they can cook at home, different dishes or like really small little tips and tricks on how to get more, wholesome ingredients in their dishes.

00:29:20.240 --> 00:29:22.309
So I'm starting that too right now.

00:29:22.309 --> 00:29:26.069
So I think there's many ways they can find us.

00:29:27.000 --> 00:29:27.289
Nice.

00:29:28.219 --> 00:29:29.659
That's fantastic.

00:29:30.224 --> 00:29:30.514
Yeah.

00:29:31.344 --> 00:29:36.394
chef Eda, the website, all this information will be in the show notes.

00:29:36.980 --> 00:29:40.789
And we can't thank you enough for being a guest today.

00:29:41.809 --> 00:29:41.879
Yeah, definitely.

00:29:41.879 --> 00:29:42.134
For the show.

00:29:42.319 --> 00:29:43.339
Thank you both too.

00:29:43.579 --> 00:29:45.079
What a fun conversation.

00:29:45.079 --> 00:29:46.609
Can't wait to try your restaurant.

00:29:46.730 --> 00:29:47.179
Absolutely.

00:29:47.269 --> 00:29:48.769
I look forward to seeing you all here.

00:29:48.769 --> 00:29:49.279
I can't wait.

00:29:49.369 --> 00:29:50.029
Yeah, thank you.

00:29:50.304 --> 00:29:51.234
Thank you so much.

Eda Martin Profile Photo

Chef, Dietitian, Food Scientist

Chef Eda Martin, MS, RDN, CN, is an executive chef, food scientist, and founder of Cocina Casera, a South American restaurant, along with innovative food concepts including Arepa Fusion Street Eatery, Psycho Sally’s Sassy Sausages, and Sanguches. With 15+ years of experience in culinary innovation and medical nutrition therapy, she expertly blends science and bold flavor to create inclusive, craveable menus for diverse dietary needs.

Eda and her team cater a wide range of events—customizing menus for themes, allergies, and specific client needs—and frequently host pop-ups throughout the Greater Seattle area. Her work has been featured in Seattle Times, Seattle Magazine, Seattle Met, Eater Seattle, and on Seattle’s KING 5 News, and she is gearing up to launch her popular Thanksgiving preorder specials.

A dynamic and engaging voice at the intersection of food, health, and entrepreneurship, Eda for conversations around culinary trends, functional nutrition, and the future of food.