Well, Hey there!
I’m Marta and this is my little corner of the world.
I created Sense and Edibility® with the mission to make your favorite recipes more accessible through education, easy-to-follow recipes, and engaging photographs- you know, so you don’t feel like you’re screwing anything up.
My motto is:
I’m here to teach you everything you need to know about cooking, baking, and co*cktail-making (because co*cktails are life).
My background as a chef
I’m the youngest of three siblings and the daughter of two Air Force Veterans. Cooking was my chore as the kid of two active-duty Airmen. I learned very early in life how to navigate disasters and unforeseeable circ*mstances in the kitchen. Tips which I happily pass on to you so you won’t feel like a dummy as I did.
I’m half-Black and half-Puerto Rican, which you’ll see reflected in recipes like my Quesitos and Slow Cooker Collard Greens. The great thing about being a lifelong military family member is that I was blessed to be surrounded by multiple cultures growing up. Recipes like my Baechu-Kimchi and Tabbouleh were taught to me by people I met throughout my life.
I attended a vocational-technical high school for culinary arts, something I’m extremely proud of and supportive of. Later, I attended the Baltimore International Culinary College in Baltimore, MD. I worked two part-time jobs and a work-study job to put myself through college. I am proud that I graduated with honors despite those days of no sleep.
Since graduating from college (and even before then), I have worked in restaurants, and pastry kitchens, run my own catering business, owned and operated a big event cake decorating business, self-published a cookbook memoir, and I’m now the author of the site Sense and Edibility®.
More About the Human Marta
I also live with Multiple Sclerosis and am a brain aneurysm survivor. I advocate for individuals living with disabilities and believe we should all have the same opportunities no matter our abilities.
I’m the proud wife of a Veteran who retired from the Army after serving 26 years. After building our forever home (which was a nightmare) and navigating the emotional turmoil of seeing our 16-year-old twins begin college, he and I do our best to maintain our sanity. We currently reside in San Antonio, Texas.
My site is as sacred as my living room, meaning I only want people on it who respect me and others. Inappropriate comments, racism, and general dumbassery are never tolerated here. Sense and Edibility® is your community if you’re here for witty banter, well-developed recipes, and people who don’t take themselves seriously. And I’m honored you’re here.
Work with Me
I’m happy to help you achieve your goals in the food space. Whether you need a culinary consultant for your food business, a recipe developer or tester for your site, or would like to hire me as a food photographer or writer, feel free to contact me via email.
Because I can’t pay the mortgage with your products, I rarely accept products as compensation, no matter how amazing they are. I’m a firm believer that everyone should be paid a fair wage, and that includes me.
Brand Ambassador
I love authentic, genuine brand ambassadorships and would love to discuss how I can bring awareness to your brand or product through blog posts, social media campaigns, or videos.
Some of the brands I’ve worked with include: Water Grows, Black Girl Magic, The Kitchn, and Simply Organic Let’s chat!
Speaker
I’m available for podcast interviews, speaking engagements, or editorial collaborations with expertise in cooking and baking, recipe development and writing, food photography and styling, food writing, military family affairs, disabilities, and racism, gender inequality. Feel free to contact me about my rates for speaking at your next engagement.
Instructor
Classes, be they a girl’s night in or a corporate affair, are my specialty. Let me know your goals, and I will design a cooking, baking, or co*cktail-making class tailored to your event.
Email me:
Let’s chat about working together!
mrivera@senseandedibility.com
Official Bio
Marta Rivera Diaz is the chef and author behind Sense and Edibility®, a food site created to teach home cooks everything they need to know about cooking, baking, and co*cktail-making. Marta uses her multi-cultural upbringing and experiences traveling the world to bring eclectic and creative recipes to her readers.
Marta earned her Professional Cooking and Pastry degree in Baltimore.
Marta’s recipes and photography have been featured in numerous media publications, including The Washington Post, The Feed Feed, The Tamron Hall Show, and Food 52. She works as a freelance food writer, recipe developer, and culinary consultant for Simply Recipes, Grandbaby Cakes, Cuisine Noir, and The Kitchn.
Marta was named Fort Hood (Fort Cavazos) Military Spouse of the Year in 2018. Her passion for inspiring military spouses to pursue their careers and goals while supporting their soldiers and their extended military family earned her the honor in addition to being named the 1st Medical Brigade Volunteer of the Year for two consecutive years. Marta’s heart still lies in encouraging military spouses to always pursue their goals while being their most authentic selves.
Marta’s efforts and expertise have garnered attention and accolades from organizations such as The Entrepreneurial Spirit Fund by SIA Scotch, The Les Dames d’Escoffier International 2022 Culinary Entrepreneurship Legacy Award, and an awardee in the Cafe Media 2021 Remarkable Voices Cohort and a James Beard Foundation Awards Judge.
Marta is a founding member of Eat the Culture. This non-profit organization creates a community-centered safe space for Black culinary creators and entrepreneurs by providing resources to grow their businesses and build a bridge for equity and representation in food media. Eat the Culture aims to nurture and support Black culinary creators and entrepreneurs in elevating their craft and uplifting and amplifying the culinary heritage across the African diaspora.
In addition to all things food, Marta is the proud wife of an Army veteran and mom of 16-year-old twins who are beginning their first year of college. Marta is a Multiple Sclerosis warrior and the survivor of a brain aneurysm. She speaks out often in support of individuals living with disabilities. In her spare time, she enjoys dancing, building furniture, and eating, of course.
Site Credits:
Content by Marta Rivera Diaz
Design & development by Meyne
