Issy Marina Barsallo Marciano Estremadoyro September 28, 2026

Life & Work with Issy Marina Barsallo Marciano Estremadoyro of Topanga

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Issy Marina Barsallo Marciano Estremadoyro.

Hi Issy Marina Barsallo, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Marciano and I, Issy Marina, began our journey in the food business in Lima, Peru, in 2014. We were among the early pioneers of plant-based food in Peru through our company, Marciano Vegano. At the time, Peru was a relatively small market for vegan products, and we saw both the challenges and the opportunities of introducing plant-based foods to a market where the category was still very new.
Over the years, we realized that the economic and political instability in Peru made it increasingly difficult to grow the business. Since I am a U.S. citizen, we eventually decided to move to California, where we felt there was a much stronger environment for a vegan food business.
We moved to Los Angeles in 2024, and shortly afterward, we started our vegan pop-up, The Veggie Martian. We began participating in farmers markets in Malibu and Playa Vista, with occasional markets in Mar Vista, and eventually found our home at the Topanga Farmers Market, where we currently pop up every Friday.
For us, The Veggie Martian is a continuation of the journey we started in Peru: creating delicious, accessible plant-based food and building community around it, now in Los Angeles.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road. It’s been a learning curve all along. Peru was a very small market for plant-based foods, and we realized that the political instability wasn’t helping either, as Peru has had 10 different presidents in the last 15 years. So, we learned that the environment for a business is also a very important thing to consider.
We started by selling frozen pizzas, lasagnas, and pies, but we discovered over time that making fresh gourmet preparations with organic ingredients was much more satisfying for our customers and for us. Now, we have created a fusion of Andean, Peruvian, North American and European foods that feels right for us and that keeps us inspired to cook.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I have a background in the fine arts as a painter, sculptor, and animator. I have an animated vegan series called: Lola makes the news on youtube. Nowadays, I am pouring all my artistic instincts into the foods we prepare as I devote most of my time to our business.
I love the balance between art and science in food. I have researched plant-based nutrition for over a decade, so I am always looking for ways to make our gourmet preparations healthier: less oil, less sodium, sugar-free, gluten-free, and organic. At the same time, we make sure that everything is aesthetically pleasing to the eye as well as appealing to the taste buds.
My husband, Chef Marciano, has a background in Business Administration, which helps us tremendously as well. We complement each other and our culinary creations through a combination of artistic inspiration, science, and business savvy.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was a very curious kid who loved going to the beach whenever I could in Lima, Peru. I started cooking for people when I was 10 years old, because my mother owns a Restaurant Bar. I loved hosting and cooking for my friends from an early age. I was very much into sports, such as surfing and volleyball, also I was very curious about the visual arts and languages and I learned to speak English by singing songs to cassette tapes.
My husband, Marciano, lived part of his childhood in Mexico, where he also developed some of his culinary influences. He practiced martial arts when young, then went off to medical school and then changed course into business school.
I migrated to California when I was 17, out of curiosity and because half of my family lives in the United States.

Contact Info:

Website: https://www.theveggiemartian.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theveggiemartian/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheVeggieMartian

Three jars filled with layered chia pudding, fruit, and toppings, with strawberries on top, outdoors with flowers and greenery

Slice of vegetable quiche with tomatoes, spinach, and herbs in a black pan, outdoors with greenery in background.

Two toasted sandwiches with meat, vegetables, and melted cheese on a wooden plate, garnished with herbs, outdoors with greenery and flowers.

Three food items on a wooden board: a layered salad, a skewer of grilled meat, and a rice dish with vegetables and chicken, outdoors.

Display of mushroom loaf and tuna melt sandwiches at a food stall, with a woman in the background. The mushroom loaf is sliced and garnished with greens.

Woman in apron holding a red tomato in a market or grocery store, surrounded by fresh produce and plants.

Slice of black cake with yellow interior on a plate, garnished with herbs and edible decorations, with the remaining cake in the background.

Man wearing apron and gloves preparing food at a stall with fresh ingredients, looking at camera.

Four loaves of bread on a cloth with a sign reading 'Gluten free Bread' and greenery in the background.

Four jars of spread placed on a rustic wooden surface with a brick wall and flowers in the background.

Image Credits
Photographer: Julie Franken. For the picture of us together.
Photographer: Nicola Buck. For the picture of the Frittata and the spreads

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