Mosaic of Flavors

Not all that glitters is gold, goes the saying, and not all the people that speak Spanish are from the same culture, says Amalia.

When Amalia came to live in the US, there was less awareness regarding Latinos because they were a minority within the minorities.  But things have changed now, and more than ever Amalia feels that there is a need to educate people about cultural differences because this affects not only Latinos but the businesses that are trying to connect with them.  Latinos represent $1.5 - $1.7 trillion in buying power in the US and this fact cannot be ignored by anyone trying to capture this fast-growing market.

Using food as a platform, Amalia dicusses synergies that exist within these cultures and how companies can get closer to them to establish proper strategies.  Through consulting, bilingual speaking and writing, and healthy cooking experiences, Amalia educates about nuances, techniques and the business of culture using anecdotal experiences of her time growing up in Guatemala and professional formation and two careers in the US and her worldwide travels.

Amalia Moreno-Damgaard is an internationally recognized, award-winning bestselling author and chef, and seasoned entrepreneur born and raised in Guatemala City currently living in the Twin Cities. She provides individuals and companies with a taste and understanding of Latin culture through Amalia LLC with the mission to bridge the knowledge gap of Latin American culture in the United States through healthy gourmet cuisine and culture education, consulting, bilingual speaking and writing, and fun healthy cooking experiences. Her first book, “Amalia’s Guatemalan Kitchen, Gourmet Cuisine with a Cultural Flair,” has won nine international awards, including the prestigious Gourmand World Cookbook Award for Best Foreign Cuisine Book USA.  She is now working on her second book.

Amalia’s culinary and entrepreneurial journey follows a successful career in the banking industry as an international sales executive officer prior to pursuing her culinary passions. Amalia is also very active in the community, where she has founded Women Entrepreneurs of Minnesota and sits on the boards of Common Hope and ClearCause Foundation. She is a columnist at Revue Magazine, Latino American Today, and El Minnesota de Hoy.  Amalia earned an Executive Masters in International Business and Culture from St. Louis University and a Professional Culinary Degree from Le Cordon Bleu.  More: AmaliaLLC.com.