Originally from Los Angeles, Chef Alicia grew up surrounded by the rich cultural and culinary heritage of her Mexican family. She is classically-trained in the culinary arts with a career spanning more than 25 years. Among the many roles she has played professionally, she has always been a creative force.
She served as Executive Chef for Dreamworks Studio, Managing Chef for Bon Appétit at Sony Music, Executive Chef at Beets Cafe in Austin, Texas and more recently as the retreat chef for Australia athlete, Grant Campbell, in Thailand. Chef Alicia was also invited to be the Executive Chef for the Woodstock Fruit Festival.
A proud grandmother of three, she has completed two sprint distance triathlons and a 90-day Bikram Yoga challenge. Her own experience with significant weight loss coupled with new found energy inspired her to dedicate her life to helping people redefine their relationship with food, empowering them to create their own masterpieces.
“It’s such an amazing and spiritual location–I came back feeling rejuvenated and recharged… It was so very special knowing the place belongs to the Dalai Lama! I loved our room. My favorite things were that there was no TV in the room, the beds were so comfortable, and it was so quiet and relaxing there with the windows opened. The grounds were amazing…”
Magda
“Beautiful place, amazing people! I had one of the best massages of my life. What stood out unambiguously at Menla, was that I felt peaceful there.”
Ana M.
“It’s not clear on your site HOW AMAZING the nature is!! I was blown away at the beauty and would have preferred an OUTDOOR retreat because of how epic the woods and creek were.”
Jillian F.