Being Ecuadorian is, I don't want to say it's tough but it's... something special to me.

As long as you remember what you love and why you love it, it will never be far from your heart - or your plate.

If you were a Colombian, you would have your version of an empanada. If you are an Argentinean, you might find a dough that's baked and has a butter sheen on it. And then in Ecuador, you'll find more crispy-fried empanadas. So, yeah, every culture has their own version of empanadas.

Don't be afraid to adapt new ingredients into your own techniques, and traditional ingredients into new recipes.

I'm having a great career, though I think I'm not as good as your little scenario makes me out to be.

People don't tend to be unhappy in jobs doing something that they love, so I think it's important that those entering the world of work for the first time are given as much information as possible on how to get into the career that they want.

Sponsorship is sometimes about people behind the scenes who are sitting in rooms determining your assignments and your next career step, and you don't even know who they are.

Graduating business school, I had $150,000 of debt. An investment firm offered me a steady job, but it didn't feel right. It was 2007 in Silicon Valley, and I dreamed of starting an Internet company.