Bon Appétit Management Company

Learn more about Bon Appétit’s partner for LGBTQ+ Pride Month Von Diaz in this interview exploring her life, career, and celebrated cookbooks!

Q: What are some of the biggest or most surprising cultural throughlines you experienced while conducting research for your most recent cookbook, Islas: A Celebration of Tropical Cooking?

A: I discovered that islanders are among the scrappiest, most resilient people on Earth. Storms have always been unpredictable, and generations of islanders have cultivated ancestral knowledge around how to survive and, importantly, how to feed themselves despite it all. Making magic out of what’s available — the leaves that sprout from root vegetables such as taro; the otherwise inedible parts of animals such as hooves and tails — is the way they’ve always cooked. It’s an expression of heritage, adaptability, and fortitude.

Q: Tell us about your inspiration for the Puerto-Rican Style Pimento Cheese recipe that you contributed to the Tasty Pride cookbook.

A: Tasty Pride is such a special book, and I was excited to contribute. Reflecting on queer food spaces, my earliest memory was being invited to a potluck in college. At that time, LGBTQ communities were much less visible and arguably more vulnerable, and so for many of us we had to maintain some level of secrecy around our identities. We often created safe spaces around meals, potlucks, dinners, brunches, cookouts.

This interview has been abridged. Get the full interview at the link in our bio! #LGBTQPrideMonth #LGBTQPride #PrideMonth #IslandCuisine ...

🌱 PART FIVE 🌱 As we approach the release of Bravo Spring 2025 (shhhh 🤫) we’re diving into the final part of “The Backbone of Bon Appétit” from Bravo Winter 2025, which showcases 25 of the hundreds of people who have worked at Bon Appétit for 25 years or more.

👉 Dannie Stanton is the general manager at a tech company in SoCal that has been with Bon Appétit for 32 years. “I stayed because of the support and passion of our CEO Fedele and his food and service philosophy.” His advice for others looking to grow? “Work hard and be passionate about what we do.”
👉 @bonappetitwhitman’s Sous Chef Marco Vargas has been with Bon Appétit for 25 years. “Moving up within the company has helped me use the best of my skills and experience different environments. Be patient. Know that Bon Appétit may offer you opportunities to move up and be successful.”
👉 For 26 years, Corazon Van Kempen has worked for Bon Appétit. Affectionately known as Cory, the general manager at Kaiser Permanente shared, “It brings me immense joy to see so many colleagues who have advanced in their careers alongside me. I’ve seen first-hand how we nurture our employees for future leadership roles.”
👉 Angel Valerio, catering chef of a SoCal entertainment studio, has served Bon Appétit for 30 years. “I stayed in this company because it provides me with job security, great people, and the philosophy to cook great, fresh food made from scratch.”
👉 Last but certainly not least, Gigi Wu is Bon Appétit’s senior accountant at Patrick Henry College with 25 years under her belt. “It truly feels like I am surrounded by family.” She wouldn’t change a thing about her path, she says. “Every bump encountered...allowed me to learn, self-reflect, and improve.”

Explore the other Bon Appétiters with over 25 years of service at the link in our bio! #HumansOfBAMCO #LoveBonAppetit #EmployeeSpotlight #LongTermEmployees #CommunityInFood ...