HISTORY BEHIND MONA
I’m Olita, the chef behind Mona. Before you ask, no, it’s not my real name but it’s what everyone calls me. Let me start with a disclaimer: If you’re looking at this website on your phone it might look a little loco.
I moved to the Canaries in October 2020 with zero plans and expectations. Mona was launched by mid 2021. I started this project with my friend Laura, because the only thing that we both love more than eating is cooking good plant based food. Initially, we offered daily vegan lunches and pre-ordered desserts in Gran Canaria. By April 2022 our paths uncrossed, Laura left the islands and is currently launching Mona in Australia. I ran this project alone until August, when I teamed up with Oscar who headed the kitchen until we shut down our lunch service in May 2023. Since then, I’ve predominantly shifted my focus to organizing and catering retreats and small events.
Today my base is in Lanzarote, though I regularly travel to other islands to feed groups traveling for yoga, surf and sport retreats. In November 2023, I launched my first retreat, alongside two amazing collaborators. We held our second retreat in November of the same year. I also offer live workshops, host sustainably focused second hand clothing exchange events and hope to launch digital learning tools for plant based living in 2024.
I center the food I make and the meals I serve around the holistic principles of mindful eating, where food is viewed as a source of nourishment, energy, and healing. I prioritize using fresh, organic, and locally sourced ingredients whenever possible, ensuring that the food is not only packed with flavors and textures but also as sustainable and environmentally friendly as possible.
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My cooking has been influenced by my country of origin and over a decade of living abroad, moving across oceans. Drawing inspiration from global cuisines, I design plant-based meals that showcase the versatility of vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds and provide a balance of essential nutrients. I recently completed the Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate at eCornell and the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and will be getting certificated as an Intuitive Eating lay facilitator.
In 2024 I plan to expand my offer of retreats, workshops and guidance programs for plant based Intuitive Eating.
My mission is to make good nutrition feel easy, accessible, affordable and tasty.
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