A traveling band
of culinary troubadours

Meet Diego Felix and the chefs, bakers and sommeliers who cook with him.

Why We're a Colectivo

Colectivo means collective. Diego is the chef at every table. Around him is a circle of chefs, bakers, sommeliers and farmers he's cooked with for years, and he brings in the right ones when your event calls for it: a baker for the breads, a sommelier for the pairings, extra hands for a big wedding.

"Ask Diego for one line, in his own words, about why he cooks with others”

Diego Felix

From Buenos Aires to the Central Coast

Diego Felix grew up in Ciudad Evita, just outside Buenos Aires, in a vegetarian, macrobiotic family where the food was simple and the flavors few. He rebelled, deliciously. Planning a career in theater, he set off at 22 to travel Latin America and ate his way from Bolivia to Mexico, awakening a curiosity about indigenous ingredients that turned him from a performer of theater into a performer of food.

In 2007 he and Sanra Ritten opened Casa Felix in Buenos Aires to share what they'd found, and Bon Appétit, VICE and The New York Times wrote about it. In 2016 he moved to California, and today, from Santa Cruz, he cooks private dinners, weddings and classes across the Central Coast and the Bay Area.

In Buenos Aires, Diego began his life in the food world, bartending in Palermo, and cooking for his roommates in the communal house Los Elefantes. Diego studied at Buenos Aires Natural Chef and after operating his own vegetarian delivery business he moved to San Francisco with his partner Sanra Ritten. There, he discovered a style of cooking integrated with the land and farmers, a holistic view of gastronomy. He ended his Californian resumé at Millennium, working under Eric Tucker, the guru of vegan cuisine.

A few years later, Diego and Sanra moved back to Buenos Aires wanting to learn and research anything edible the southern continent had to offer. They created Casa Felix in 2007 as a way to share and showcase their findings and experiences.
Since then, Diego has become passionate about the cuisine of his region, using his work in the kitchen to support small-scale producers, and constantly researching the flavors and culinary knowledge of South America.
Diego is part of the international Slow Food movement and actively participates, incorporating the philosophy into his daily work. He currently resides in Santa Cruz, CA and cooks for private dinners, celebrations and catered events throughout California.

Who Rides With Us

Sanra Ritten

Sanra Ritten, a San Diego native, completed her degree in Bilingual Environmental Photojournalism from San Francisco State in 2005. She met Diego during a year-long Study Abroad program to Buenos Aires.
Also passionate about food and the environment, Sanra published several food related articles in publications including Gastronomica, The Argentina Independent, Time Out Buenos Aires, and Ode Magazine and has always worked in the restaurant industry as she has a deep love for, and appreciation of good food and wine.
During her time in Argentina she also co-founded an independent not-for-profit environmental organization with Kristie Robinson and participated in the Slow Food convivium Ambientate Buenos Aires.
Diego Veras, baker

Diego Veras, professional cook and baker by choice, has been in the kitchen for as long as he remembers. He lived in Spain for a few years and traveled extensively in Italy, Portugal, France, Morocco before deciding to return to Buenos Aires. His first time in a professional kitchen was in Uriarte Bar, with Julieta Oriolo, while studying cooking and management at Gato Dumas. After learning the basic secrets, he decided to be a baker, which would prove to be a substantial change in his professional career.
He worked for nearly two years in Olivier Hanocq and Bruno Gillot bakery L’epi, led by Augustine Albisu, head baker in the best French bakery in Buenos Aires. There, among flour and ferments, he found what his restless imagination had always sought. He returned to the kitchen with Martin Arrieta and Maximo Togni in Sanbenito, without neglecting bread. During this time he continued learning and perfecting his own techniques and methods of breads and pastries. He trained in Paola Carosella’s Arturito, in São Paulo, and when back in Buenos Aires, doing a stage in the restaurant Fer Rivarola’s El Baqueano, crossed culinary paths with Diego Felix.
After being head of bakery and product development in Farinelli, Diego joined Colectivo Felix, working in the kitchen and helping to improve the breads.
Committed to the Slow Food movement, Diego is now dedicated to advising restaurants, bars, and cafes, as well as teaching bakery classes and working on his hobbies of carpentry and bike restoration, which -like everything he does- he does seeking perfection and care of craft.
Pablo Marinaro, chef

Pablo has Italian and Argentine roots, he grew up between chefs, kitchens and restaurants. He perfected his techniques traveling and cooking through Latin America and Europe. A fundamental performer in the Colectivo Felix, he also runs his own project called PAN doing Pop Up dinners across the continent.
Flor Azpiroz, sommelier

Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Florence started her career in gastronomy when she was 21 years old in Boston. After passing through several restaurants in managerial positions she became a sommelier and opened her own business in the East Village, Resto Leon, which was open until 2011.
Flor became a part of the Colectivo Felix in 2008 and since then is the East Coast tour manager. Today she lives in Brooklyn and works part time as an assistant in food styling and full time as a mother of Paloma and Camilo. Meanwhile, with her husband Paul they are also creating their beautiful weekend house “Casa Nueva” in The North Fork, Long Island.
Joshua Orgaz Castillo, chef

Josh is an East LA–born chef inspired by his Mexican and Latin roots. After studying at Le Cordon Bleu, he built his career in Los Angeles before spending three years in Moscow working on restaurant projects and menu development. He later returned to Los Angeles to pursue his goal of opening his own restaurant.