Paola Velez

Before Paola Velez was a culinary diplomat for the United States and a founder of the Bakers Against Racism viral bake sale, she was a chocolatier at Jacques Torres’ Brooklyn chocolate shop. She then moved to Washington, D.C. to work with Christina Tosi at Milk Bar, and has since cooked in some of the city’s most acclaimed kitchens. With her infectious positivity, quirky social media videos and keen eye on the micro-trends of the moment, Paola is now a nationally recognized chef and cookbook author. Her debut cookbook, Bodega Bakes, was published this fall.