Mi Puerto Rico Short Series x Don Q Rum
Puerto Rico
Host | Director | Producer | Copy Writer
Puerto Rico
Director | Producer | Copy Writer | Host
In this 4 part series, Manolo starts by exploring the history of rum throughout Puerto Rico. A story of past, present & future, regarding the importance of rum to the Island and its cultural relevance. The story takes from El Valle Coloso in the town of Aguada where Manolo grew up in, where he meets with his long time friend Alexis who is one of the few young sugarcane farmers left and talks about the fading tradition that once employed the majority of the Island. The journey then takes us to La Destilería Serallés in town of Ponce where Manolo meets up with master distiller Sylvia Santiago and tour the distillery learning how rum is made. The journey finalizes in Old San Juan, in the #12 bar of the world, La Factoría. Manolo grabs a drink with his longtime friend, Leslie Cofresí, and they talk about the importance of rum and persistence to export their product around the world.
The rest of the series will show you how to make Coquito, Pique (Puerto Rican hot sauce) and Tomato paste rum cake with Manolo’s mom, Margarita. This collaboration was made possible by Don Q Rum and the series went on the be an official selection of the Philadelphia Latino Film Festival.You can watch all 4 episodes below.
Manolo’s thoughts:
“I have a big desire to continue telling the stories of my Island and its people. Whether its Puerto Ricans on the Island or in the Diaspora, our unique upbringing has lead us to different paths and stories that are waiting to be told. Grateful to Don Q for enabling me to tell these stories and bring the world closer to Puerto Rico.”
-M
Client:Destilería Serallés | Don Q Rum
Date: 2021
Type: Content Creation
Services: Director | Producer | Copy Writer | Host
Photography: Carmelo Varela
W.Rosado “Tribu” Jewelry Launch Event
New York, New York
Chef
Black Masa Beef Empanadas | 24K Gold Foil
New York, New York
Dinner
As a protégé of Andy Warhol and a member of his inner circle, Rosado spent his early years in New York, immersed in dynamic street art and the social life of the city, befriending artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring, in addition to forging connections with the urban community.
The Puerto Rican artist launched his new jewelry line, “Tribu”, this past November at the Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca. The Opulent jewelry line took inspiration of the bright colours of Maasai tribal jewelry, the geometry and detailing of the Art Deco artist Jean Dunant, as well as the traditions of Japanese lacquer painting.
Chef Manolo López was hired to create a menu that reflected the “Tribu” jewelry line. The passed hors d'oeuvres consisted of traditional finger foods, but elevated with luxury ingredients like black winter truffle, 24k gold foil and Ossetra caviar. From black masa beef empanadas with 24k gold foil to platanutres with recao infused crème fraîche topped with ossetra caviar to malta india braised oyster mushrooms with black winter truffle. The menu transported guest as they viewed W.Rosado’s new “Tribu” line.
Client: Wilfredo Rosado
Date: 2021
Type: Private Event
Services: Chef | Food Curation
Kids of Immigrants x Vans
Compton, California
Chef
To celebrate the release of their second Vans collaboration, Kids of Immigrants designed a shoe honoring one’s heritage and parents that sacrificed greatly for their children.
Before the shoe launched, Kids of Immigrants produced a photoshoot at Moonwater Farm in Compton. The photoshoot featured community leader Kika Keith from Gorilla Rx, Aura Santos & Lêcoeurcassé. At the same time the campaign highlighted students from Color Compton and Inner City Arts who were invited to help with the production.
After the day long photoshoot, Manolo prepared a dinner that resembled everyone who had a part in the production. A coursed meal that incorporated 8+ nationalities and guided by Paula Duran (Empress). This stems from the work done with Community Gatherings and brings intentionality to the table for such a meaningful shoe campaign.
Kids of Immigrants was founded by Daniel Buezo and Weleh Dennis in 2016, and is an outlet for the two to “express their passion to create, empower and love.” Highly significant to the two based on their first-generation American identity, the “Anything is Possible” shoe represents the passion for their heritage and community.
Photography by David Camarena
Client: Kids of Immigrants
Date: 2021
Type: Dinner
Services: Chef | Food Curation
Photography: David Camarena