We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Margarita Vazquez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Margarita below.

Margarita, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later

Starting a business wasn’t on my mind. It took COVID, losing my sister, my son’s heart surgery, and all the grief that came with those experiences to push me forward. Out of that pain, I found purpose in creating something that would become a lasting gift for my family, my granddaughter, and the generations after them.

If I’m being honest, I wish I had started The Marinated Kitchen sooner, back when my mom was selling her own sofrito. She had loyal customers in our community who loved her sofrito, and I think about that now and wonder… what if? What if I had taken that step earlier? Maybe today The Marinated Kitchen would be my full-time job instead of something I do on the side while working my corporate job. Maybe my mom and I could have built it together, with her showing me all her little tricks and me helping her grow what she already carried in her heart.

But I guess it’s never too late. I’m glad I started, because now I’m preserving what she began. Every time I make a batch of sofrito, I picture her in my kitchen, hair tied up in a bun, wearing her bata (Puerto Rican nightgown) and singing her favorite songs. When the smell of Puerto Rican sofrito fills the air, I’m reminded that this isn’t just a business. It’s a way to honor her memory and keep our culture alive. Through The Marinated Kitchen, I’m making sure her flavors and our heritage live on.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Margarita Vazquez, and I’m the heart and founder of The Marinated Kitchen. The kitchen has always been my happy place. I’ve been cooking since high school, and my very first job was at the Woolworth’s diner. I was the girl in the little apron, taking orders and making the best burgers Woolworth’s had to offer.

I officially came into this industry during one of the hardest seasons of my life. In 2020, I lost my job during COVID, my sister passed away due to domestic violence, and my son went through his third open-heart surgery. I was grieving, caregiving, and trying to hold everything together. Whenever I was upset or overwhelmed, the kitchen was my comfort. I poured all my energy into it, and from that, The Marinated Kitchen was born.

My goal has always been to create a legacy—inspired by my mother, who often made me her little sous chef in our family kitchen. Today, I sell sofrito and garlic paste, staples in Puerto Rican cooking. These are time-consuming to make from scratch, so I provide them to busy households and restaurants that want authentic flavor without the extra work. In our culture, almost everyone makes sofrito, but not everyone has the time—so I’ve become the go-to person for those who still want that homemade taste.

What I’m most proud of is starting this with no business experience—just my passion—and seeing it grow. I began as a food blogger, then started selling sofrito and garlic paste, and now I conduct food demos to show people how to cook with my products. I’ve had the honor of partnering with places like Blue Door Neighborhood Center and local community colleges.

In September 2025, The Marinated Kitchen will celebrate five years. I started this journey not knowing exactly where it would lead, but today, it’s become something bigger than I imagined—a way to honor my family’s recipes, serve my community, and keep Puerto Rican culture alive through food.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I found my resilience through one of the hardest losses of my life—losing my sister to domestic violence. Instead of letting that pain consume me, I made it part of my journey with The Marinated Kitchen. I wanted to honor her memory and serve my community, so I partnered with organizations like Yo Soy Ella, A Beautiful Project, and The Blue Door Neighborhood Center.

Together, we provide resources and education about domestic violence, and every October, I host an annual event called “A Meal for My Sister”. It’s a day where we remember her, raise awareness, and bring people together through food and storytelling. I prepare a food demonstration as part of the event, because I believe food has a way of opening hearts and creating connection.

This tradition has helped me heal while helping others. It turns my grief into purpose and allows me to stand alongside other survivors, families, and community members. For me, resilience is not just about moving forward—it’s about transforming loss into love, and pain into something that can make a difference.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

What has helped me build my audience on social media is just being myself—being Margarita. When I’m out in the community I love creating social media stories that showcase other entrepreneurs and the work they do. I do this when I travel too, and I think it’s brought me more followers because we’re helping each other grow.

When you promote another entrepreneur and share their work, it’s powerful. If you don’t advertise yourself, no one else will—but in my case, I naturally do it for them. And in return, they end up showcasing my work too. At the end of the day, we’re helping each other, and we’re all growing together.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://themarinatedkitchen.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themarinatedkitchen?igsh=dWx6NjM1d2k0Mmdz&utm_source=qr
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-marinated-kitchen/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@themarinatedkitchen7303?si=zjinrGbh38wYVVTA
• Other: https://linktr.ee/Themarinatedkitchen?fbclid=PAQ0xDSwMGNFxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABp-gY3m6kH-NEtjBHrYIawZkNqdpBwHl6Dc04DmOfW6EX5ZeuIFwoZk-GG_9r_aem_3D8u_lPPrJaG_6-JMn3V6w

Image Credits

Elena Bayda