Introducing our 2025 LGBTQ+ Pride Partner, Von Diaz

A collage of abstracted fruits in bright primary colors.

This LGBTQ+ Pride Month, we are delighted for the opportunity to partner with Von Diaz, an Emmy Award-winning documentarian, food historian, and cookbook author. At heart, Von is an evocative storyteller who uses food as a means to build powerful cultural connections.  A portrait of a woman with a long black ponytail, wearing a blue and white printed top. She is standing in front of a textured, rocky, tan background.

Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Atlanta, GA, Von began to recognize the unifying experience of food from an early age. In her debut cookbook, Coconuts & Collards: Recipes and Stories from Puerto Rico to the Deep South, Von adapts traditional recipes inspired by memories of her grandmother’s kitchen in Puerto Rico mixed with her own upbringing in the American South. 

Her most recent cookbook, Islas: A Celebration of Tropical Cooking, Von dives deep into the shared cooking techniques in island cuisines across the world, from Madagascar to Indonesia and beyond. Von has also contributed to numerous publications, including Tasty Pride: 75 Recipes and Stories from the Queer Food Community. Next week, we are publishing a selection of delicious recipes from both Islas and Tasty Pride, including Puerto-Rican Style Pimento Cheese and Stewed Curry Eggplant from Trinidad.  

We had the chance to chat with Von more in-depth about each of her cookbooks, and what led her to a career in food and storytelling. Stay tuned for our engaging interview with her to learn more about how you can follow her dynamic work.