Mundo Catering is proud to work with many talented chefs who provide a full-court press for our film, wedding, and event catering clientele. In this new blog series, we’re going to take you behind the scenes and help you get to know the chefs who are making your food a little better.
So, without further ado, we’d like to introduce you to Chef Sarah Baltazar. She has been a chef since 2003 and is the owner of Mundo Catering!
what inspired you to become a chef?
“Mrs. Fencsak, my eighth-grade home ec teacher! She helped us to create a restaurant in an unused school cafeteria, where we prepared and sold sandwiches, pizza, cookies, Italian sodas, etc. She helped us to create a business plan and presentation about the business that we took to state and then nationals in New Orleans! We also toured a culinary school in Portland, and I knew immediately that was what I wanted to do. I attended that same school after I graduated high school and started working in the industry immediately.”
what’s your favorite thing to cook?
“I’m always asked this question, and I never know a great answer! I like to cook different things all the time. I don’t like repeating. I love experimenting with what is available and creating something new.”
what are your specialties?
“Definitely not desserts! I can make simple desserts, but I leave the pies and cakes to those with more patience. I do enjoy making cold salads (potato, pasta, quinoa, etc.). I love adding colors, textures, and flavors. I also love making something that tastes even better the next day.”
what has been your most memorable experience as a chef?
“It’s a silly thing, but I’ll never forget it! Elijah Wood was going through our buffet line, and he dropped his plate on the ground. The whole room clapped and cheered, and he laughed and started picking up the mess. I told him not to worry about it and that I would take care of it. It was just fun to see the star of the show so down to earth and loved by the crew.”
what are your hobbies outside of cooking?
“Reading and traveling with my family. We love easy road trips, getting out in nature, and trying new foods and restaurants.”
what is a fun fact about yourself?
“I’m a big fan of epic fantasy adventures–books, movies, and TV shows. Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Marvel, Outlander–you name it. I like anything that lets me escape from reality. I’ve stayed up all night more times than I could count because I couldn’t put a book down and needed to finish it. I don’t get to do it as much anymore, of course. Having three kids and owning a catering business mean I have to make sleep a priority!”
is there anything else you’d like to share?
“I really enjoy the backend of the business, which is an unusual thing for a chef to say. I like accounting, coordinating, planning, and making sure everything goes smoothly. The older I get, the more I focus on these priorities and let the younger people handle the heavy lifting!”
Thanks for sharing a little about you, Sarah!
about mundo catering | portland catering services
Mundo Catering is a catering company in Portland that accommodates weddings, private events, film sets, and more. We are well versed in various dishes and food styles, and happy to cater to dietary and allergy needs. Our mission is to provide exceptional customer service and of course, tasty food.
Discover more about our Portland catering services on our Blog, or check out some pictures in our Gallery.
Want to schedule catering services in Portland? Contact Mundo Catering today: (971) 302-5041