About Stellanspice
Hi, I’m Stella!
Welcome to my little corner of the internet 🙂 I’m so glad you’re here. Thank you for taking a moment to learn a little about me.
I’m a recipe developer, content creator, food photographer, wife, and devoted dog mom based in Southern California. My kitchen is my happy place. I love turning fresh ingredients into flavorful, authentic, and easy-to-follow recipes!
Food has always been at the heart of my multicultural upbringing. My mother is from Busan, South Korea, and my father is from Guadalajara, Mexico. As you can imagine, my childhood was filled with some of the best flavors in the world! I basically grew up eating really, really good food, and through it, I’ve stayed deeply connected to my roots.
Stellanspice is dedicated to sharing authentic, carefully developed Korean and Mexican recipes – made with love, tested to perfection, and meant to be trusted.
–Stella
My Background
I’m half Mexican and half Korean, born in the U.S. but raised overseas. My early childhood years were spent in Japan and Korea. During that time, I visited my Korean side of the family frequently, and ate mostly my mom’s home-cooked Korean food.
After moving back to the U.S., I spent more time with my Mexican side of the family, but I actually grew up eating more Cuban food than Mexican! This is because my late grandfather (who wasn’t related to me by blood) was from Cuba. We called him Pipo, and he was an incredible cook. I miss him and his cooking so much.
Before becoming a recipe developer, I was an accountant during the week and a bartender on the weekends. I did the corporate thing for a couple years before deciding it wasn’t for me, but I was a bartender for over 12 years! I truly enjoyed my time in the service industry and learned so much from it.
All of these experiences shaped the way I cook today. My recipes are influenced by the Mexican, Korean, and Cuban food I grew up eating, plus the family traditions that came with them. I also love sharing some of my favorite cocktail recipes, inspired by my years behind the bar!
My Culinary Journey
I believe my passion for cooking comes from my mom. She LOVES being in the kitchen, and I clearly get that from her! I grew up helping her with little tasks like peeling garlic or cleaning bean sprouts, and these were the moments she would teach me Korean.
But I didn’t become truly interested in cooking until after high school, when I moved out and desperately wanted a hot bowl of my mom’s kimchi jjigae. With her “a little of this, some of that” instructions, there were plenty of trial-and-error attempts. But over time, I learned to cook for myself and developed my own style.
Fast forward many years to the pandemic: I lost both of my jobs, so my sister encouraged me to start posting my recipes on TikTok. I didn’t expect anything, but that small push turned into a full-blown career! Now I spend my days creating recipes, writing, and connecting with people who love to cook as much as I do.
What You’ll Find on Stellanspice
Carefully Tested Recipes — Each recipe is tested multiple times until it’s perfected. Many of my family members (and sometimes my neighbors) participate as taste-testers to make sure every dish hits the mark!
Exact Measurements — While I don’t usually cook with measurements in my own kitchen, I carefully test and design each recipe with precise quantities so anyone can replicate it exactly as I do.
Step-by-Step Photos — I provide photos for every step so you can see exactly what your dish should look like along the way. For visual learners like me, this makes cooking much easier and stress-free!
Modern & Traditional Cooking Techniques —I try to recreate dishes as authentically as possible, but I also know that traditional methods aren’t always realistic for everyday cooking. So, I mix in modern techniques to make things easier, without losing any of the flavor or heart of the dish.
Fun Facts About Me
On my Mexican side, I’m actually half Basque! I don’t know much about that part of my heritage yet, but it’s something I’m excited to explore in the future.
I don’t plan to have children, but I have two fur babies — Remy & Leeloo. They’re a mother-daughter duo and bring so much love and joy into my life!
Stellanspice made its first debut in 2018… and flopped. It wasn’t until 2020, during the pandemic, that things finally started to take off.
I have a cosmetology license! I worked as a hairstylist and nail artist for two years before going back to college to earn my business degree.
Let’s Connect
Connect with me on social media for more content and updates. I share my recipes, tips, and a peek into my everyday life.
📸 Instagram: @stellanspice — my main kitchen hub! You’ll find short recipe videos, behind-the-scenes cooking, and plenty of life updates on Stories. This is the best way to get in contact with me.
🎥 TikTok: @stellanspice — same as Instagram, minus Stories. I’ll work on getting better with it!
▶️ YouTube: @stellanspice — long form recipe videos, travel content, and personal projects.
👻 Snapchat: @stellanspice — for the unfiltered everyday stuff!
Frequently Asked Questions
“Stellanspice” is a play on the popular phrase “sugar & spice.” Although I don’t consider myself to be a particularly sweet person, it made sense to pair my name with the word “spice” because I love my food flavored & spicy!
It’s the perfect name right?! So cute and clever. My younger sister Maria (love you!) is the one who came up with it.
I am not a professionally trained chef, but cooking is my greatest passion in life! I am continuously educating myself and sharpening my skills in the kitchen, testing recipes almost every day.
I’m often asked why I didn’t go to culinary school or pursue a career as a chef, and my answer is very simple— I cannot handle the heat, so I stay out out of the kitchen!
I have an immense amount of respect for professional chefs and cooks. I worked front-of-house positions in the restaurant industry for a very long time, so I’ve spent enough time in the back-of-house (kitchen) to know how demanding and stressful that job can be. I knew it wasn’t for me, so I am extremely thankful to have a different path & career in the culinary field.
Not yet! I have plans to release one for sure, but there isn’t anything set in stone yet. I want my first cookbook to be special and well worth your hard-earned money, so I am taking my time on developing my best recipes yet! If you want to make sure you don’t miss any announcements or the launch of my cookbook, please subscribe to my newsletter.
