Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Anamaris Cousins Price. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Anamaris, thanks for joining us today. Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.

Both my parents were driven, hardworking individuals, who understood their reputation was only as good as their last job. They always gave 150% and ensured they exceeded expectations. My dad worked in the corporate world until retirement, my mom quit corporate to start her own business in her late 30s.

I think my dad was driven by pride in a job well done, following the rules and being an example. My mom was a creative soul stuck in the corporate machine and when she made the decision to pursue her dream of becoming Panama’s best wedding cake decorator, she never looked back.

I learned my work ethic from them. Always do better than your best and your work will speak for itself. They also taught me that work wasn’t everything. They played hard too. Traveled every chance they had, cherished spending time with loved ones and put each other first.

Anamaris, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was born and raised in Panama City, Panama, where I was my Mami’s shadow in the kitchen for as long as I can remember. I started cooking meals for the family when I was about 7, always under my mom’s tutelage and getting inspiration from family standards as well as my mom’s many cookbooks from various cuisines. I call my mom the Martha Stewart of Panama; always entertaining and coming up with creative themes and menus to celebrate special events or just Sunday dinner. My happy place is either in the kitchen cooking and creating new dishes or around the dining room table, sharing the flavors and traditions of Panama and Latin America with guests.

I moved to Houston in 1990 and have fully embraced the city with a Latina heart. I spent most of the last 30 years in the corporate world, the last sixteen resolving conflict in the oil & gas space. My dream of introducing people to authentic Latin cuisine, finally came to reality in 2020 when I was laid off from the corporate grind and formally established Secreto Pop Up in order to pursue my passion of bringing people together through amazing food.

My love for Latin flavors and culture pushes me to help Houstonians host intimate dinner parties that engage the senses and invite guests to connect with each other and partake in great food done well. It’s not just about food, I strive to create truly craveable dining experiences because I know that food is the universal language that links us all. Through Secreto offer unique and customized dining experiences to food lovers who are hungry to explore Latin and Caribbean culture through food and share the familial dining experience, historic of Latino communities, that has been lost in American tradition.

In addition to group dinner parties, I offer packages for date and ladies’ nights, cooking classes and I am currently working on my holiday catering menu and looking for venues to host pop up dinners.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

COVID. I think if you ask most business owners who have made it through the pandemic, you’ll find that 2020 was a year filled with challenges and you either pivoted and evolved or went out of business. My concept was to have intimate groups around a dining table, sharing my delicious creations. That was not feasible once Covid took over, but one of my values is being of service. I thought about ways I could still provide a service that would make life easier and/or more delicious for others, so I shifted into a meal prep service. Customers would just pick up heat & serve meals and not have to worry about what to feed their families.

I also started virtual events, both for dinners and cooking classes, to give my customers a reason to get dolled up from the waist up and enjoy a restaurant-style meal with other guests.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Reputation is something you continue to work on every day and it is as important as cash flow, if not more so. The standard for me is ‘would Patricia (my mom) be pleased with what you just did?’ I know the food is always great, but I make sure to make the whole experience of interacting with me, impeccable. I want my customers to walk away thinking they just had one of the best dining experiences.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.secretopopup.com
• Instagram: www.intagram.com/secretopopup.com
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/secretopopup
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/secretopopup

Image Credits
Jessica McIntosh