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Here's What A Food Professional Eats In A Day

It's not what you'd expect.

Michelle No
by Michelle No

BuzzFeed Staff

Mercedes Golip is a food professional, meaning she's well-versed in the art of creating a delicious meal.

Patrick Dolande / Via instagram.com

Though Mercedes works as a digital producer by day, she spends just as much time as a knowledgable food whiz, creating content for blogs and personalities, organizing cooking demos and classes, styling food, and running a Venezuelan supper club she dubbed "My Kitchen Farm-to-Table". As she puts it, the pop-up is "a contemporary take on Venezuelan food; my way to recreate classic dishes reinvented and influenced by current trends and other cuisines — a metaphor for my life."

I wanted to know: What does a culinary pro — who regularly gets paid to transform plain ingredients into a delicious dish — eat in her personal life?

Are her meals just as appetizing as the creations she shelves out in her life as a food professional? Or is it just leftovers every day? I asked her to keep a food diary on a regular ol' day. Here's what she came back with.

7:30 a.m.: A smoothie with frozen strawberries, cucumber, and coconut water.

Mercedes Golip

"I like starting every morning with a smoothie. I try to take advantage of what is in season, so today I’m using a simple combination of cucumbers from my backyard, strawberries, and coconut water. I got the strawberries from the farmer’s market when they were right at their peak, and just froze them to use as needed."

10:15 a.m.: Dried apple pie-flavored fruit jerky.

Mercedes Golip

"I always have granola, dried fruit, or nuts handy for any cravings. This jerky was really cinnamon-ey, not too sweet, and tasted like fall apple pies."

11 a.m. Arepas with eggs, salsa, and cashew-cilantro cream.

Mercedes Golip

"Arepas are a ritual on Sundays. These are special because they're made from scratch using local corn. I don’t make them that often because the process is a bit time consuming, but when I do, I make a big serving that I freeze and reheat in the oven," Golip said. "This batch comes together with an egg over tomatillo salsa and cashew-cilantro cream on top, my plant-based version of mayo. "

3 p.m.: Panfried mushroom, topped with lemon juice and flaky salt, and served with plum compote.

Mercedes Golip

"Last year my husband and I came across a Vermont farm stand that introduced us to this mushroom called Chicken of the Woods. Many people think that the texture and the flavor resembles the qualities of chicken breast, and I agree. I always make it the same way, just like the farmer recommended: separate the mushrooms in chunks, coat with egg first and then all-purpose flour, and pan fry in hot oil. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice, flaky salt, and lemon zest and serve with a sweet and sour sauce, like this plum compote."

4 p.m. Matcha tea with foamed oat milk.

Mercedes Golip

"I’m not a heavy coffee drinker but I love a good matcha latte because it gives me the exact amount of energy I need at this time of the day. The weather is getting cold so I thought it was a good time for the warmer version. I love the flavor, especially with foamed oat milk."

6 p.m.: Arancini (fried risotto balls) and a cocktail.

Mercedes Golip

"I went to a concert where there were many options at the food hall but I decided to go for the arancini (basically fried risotto balls with a filling). My order included arancini with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pesto. They were delicious, and with a cocktail on the side, got me through the night."

10 p.m.: Golden milk with turmeric, cinnamon, and honey.

Mercedes Golip

"This is a very soothing turmeric-based drink that I've started drinking at night before bedtime, specially after eventful days like today, because it’s very relaxing. I like to mix mine with a variety of spices including ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon (black pepper is also optional), along with almond milk and a teaspoon of raw honey."

Follow recipe developer and food stylist Mercedes Golip on Instagram here!

Check out even more awesome Hispanic Heritage Month content!

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