A traveling band
of culinary troubadours

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

Three Colectivo Felix chefs side by side: cooking over fire, toasting with wine, and in kitchen whites

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.

"We thrive together.
For me, cooking has always been about community. Food brings people together, and collaboration reminds us that nothing meaningful is created alone.”

Glass of red wine in a vineyard at golden hour, part of Colectivo Felix's ranch photography

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, co-founder & food writer

Sanra Ritten, a San Diego native, met Diego on a study-abroad year in Buenos Aires, and together they founded Casa Felix in 2007.
Passionate about food and the environment, she's written for Gastronomica, The Argentina Independent and Time Out Buenos Aires, and always kept one foot in the restaurant world for love of good food and wine.
Pablo Marinaro, chef

Pablo Marinaro is one of the fundamental voices in the Colectivo, shaped early by a childhood spent between chefs, kitchens and restaurants, with both Italian and Argentine roots running through his cooking.
He sharpened his craft on the road, traveling and cooking through Latin America and Europe. Alongside his work with the Colectivo, he runs his own project, PAN, hosting pop-up dinners across the continent.
Flor Azpiroz, sommelier & East Coast tour manager

Flor Azpiroz was born and raised in Buenos Aires and became a sommelier after years working her way up through restaurants in Boston, later opening her own restaurant, Resto León, in New York's East Village until 2011.
She's been part of the Colectivo since 2008, running its East Coast events from Brooklyn.
Joshua Orgaz Castillo, chef

Josh Orgaz Castillo was born in East LA and cooks with his Mexican and Latin roots at the center. After studying at Le Cordon Bleu, his career took him from Los Angeles to Moscow, where he spent three years working on restaurant projects and menu development.
He's been part of Colectivo Felix since our early California days, and though he's since built his own career in Los Angeles, he's still one call away, cooking alongside Diego whenever the Colectivo needs him.
More than a collaborator: family.