Today we’d like to introduce you to Mildred Moreno.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started my business in December 2019 without knowing exactly how I would make it work — I just knew I wanted to cook for people and learn everything I could along the way. I grew up surrounded by the aromas of my mother’s kitchen; she’s an incredible cook, and to this day, no one makes better corn tamales than she does. Her passion for food inspired mine and continues to guide me in every dish I create. My brothers are also an influence in the kitchen that shaped my Mexican and asian insired cusine
After launching my business, I joined a mentorship program with Chef Andrés from Dinner with a Chef. That experience gave me the confidence to value my craft and understand how to charge for my work. From there, I collaborated with talented chefs across different cuisines, learning their techniques and refining my style in Southern CA.
Today, I specialize in Mexican, Japanese, Spanish Paellas, tapas, Italian, and fine dining cuisine, blending traditional flavors with elegant, contemporary presentation. Every meal I create is an expression of culture, love, and creativity.
My journey has been built on organic growth, resilience, and grit — from cold emailing platforms to forming meaningful partnerships that helped me grow. A few friends have taken me under their wing. My family, especially my mom, has always been my greatest source of strength and support.
I’m now proudly affiliated with Take a Chef, Airbnb, and over 300 hospitality companies, continuing to share my passion for fine dining experiences that bring people together.
www.DonaKarina.com
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all. In the beginning, I often relied on subcontracting for other chefs just to make ends meet during the first couple of years. It wasn’t easy, but I always believed in myself and knew that if I lived simply and stayed focused, I could make it work.
During COVID, I made a life-changing decision — I was going to be my own boss. I began juggling my growing personal chef business with my passion project, hosting pop-ups for my handcrafted jewelry line, MilyRocks Jewelry, a few times a month.
Those years taught me resilience and resourcefulness. When I decided to put my name out there on culinary platforms and eventually relocated to Long Beach, everything started to align. The doors I had been knocking on for so long began to open.
Now, I’m receiving more bookings every month, working with wonderful clients, and feeling grateful for every opportunity that comes my way. It’s been a journey of faith, perseverance, and following my heart — even when the path wasn’t clear.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
What I Do & What I Specialize In
• I am the founder and executive chef of Doña Karina, a personal chef and catering business based in Southern California.
• I design custom gourmet menus for private dinners, special events, and in-home meal prep.
• My culinary roots run deep: I combine flavors from Mexican prehispanic (especially my family’s traditions) with Japanese, Italian, and any fine dining techniques.
• I’m known for plated four-course fine dining, elegant presentation, and bringing a “restaurant-level” experience into someone’s home or event space.
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What I’m Most Proud Of
• Carrying forward my mother’s and grandmother’s legacy — naming the business after her (Doña Karina) — and seeing generations of family recipes live on in new ways.
• The resilience it took to grow this business during challenging times (pandemic, shifting markets), and to pivot when needed (e.g., doing pop-ups, using platforms).
• Building relationships and trust with clients who now return for repeat meals and refer others.
• The blending of heritage + innovation: honoring traditional Mexican roots while also embracing global flavors and techniques.
• Creating sustainable practices (like choosing biodegradable packaging) to align my business with environmental consciousness. Also, focus on shopping for locally grown and organic produce.
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What Sets me Apart
• Heritage + authenticity: Many chefs can master techniques, but fewer bring a generational lineage of recipes, family stories, cultural connection, and authenticity like I do.
• Cross-cultural fluency: My ability to work in Mexican, Japanese, Italian, and any fine dining styles gives me a broader palette and allows me to tailor menus with surprising combinations.
• Client-first mindset: From what reviews show, I care deeply about communication, tailoring to dietary restrictions, clean kitchen practices, and creating experiences (not just meals).
• Sustainability + conscience: my commitment to responsible materials and ingredients adds a dimension beyond just flavor—it sends a message about values.
• Adaptability & grit: My backstory (doing subcontracting early, juggling jewelry pop-ups, refining myself) gives me empathy and resilience that others may lack.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I have never spent a penny on marketing or online ad campaigns. I don’t know if it’s fear or if I just don’t know how to go about creating a strategy to advertise myself in the right places. All my growth has been organic growth, word of mouth, and referrals.
Pricing:
- $50 paella experience per person, includes paella, salad and bread. the chef comes and cooks the paella at your event and serves guest.
- $90 + (grocery cost) 3 course family style dinner, the chef shops for groceries, preps, cooks, serves and cleans the day of the event.
- $120 + (grocery cost) 4 course plated style dinner, the chef shops for groceries, preps, cooks, serves and cleans the day of the event.
- I also have classes available starting at $70 per person
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Donakarina.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donakarinacatering/#
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/donakarinacatering/#
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mildred-moreno/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/dona-karina-catering-pomona
- Other: https://Milyrocksjewelry.com
