“Revel” Author Mariana Velásquez On Hosting, Heartbreak & Rewriting Her Story

For our final episode of “The New Home,” our miniseries in partnership with Fisher & Paykel, we’re spotlighting Mariana Velásquez. A celebrated food stylist and author of the new book “Revel: A Maximalist Guide to Having People Over,” Mariana is known for her lush, layered aesthetic and her belief that food is meant to be experienced as a full table, not just individual dishes. She joins host Kerry Diamond to talk about the inspiration behind “Revel,” from her approach to menus and entertaining to the creative process of bringing her book to life with celebrated photographers Gentl & Hyers. They also discuss how she became one of the industry’s most sought-after food stylists, the realities of cooking and hosting in a small New York City kitchen, and the deeply personal story behind the book. When Mariana’s marriage ended, she had to rewrite “Revel” days before the deadline, and she went on to learn about resilience, reinvention, and the power of gathering with intention. At the end of the episode, we share Mariana’s moving solo talk from the recent Cherry Bombe Jubilee NYC. Click here for Mariana’s Pomelo Sea Bass Aguachile with Corn Tostadas recipe from “Revel.” Thank you to Fisher & Paykel for supporting our show.  Sign up for our free Radio Cherry Bombe newsletters at cherrybombe.substack.com More on Mariana: Instagram, "Revel" cookbook More on Kerry: Instagram, “So You Want To Open A Restaurant” Substack series