Hola, and welcome to
Muy Bueno!
I’m Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, the founder and owner of Muy Bueno. I started Muy Bueno in 2010 as an online journal to document my family’s recipes and preserve my Mexican culture and celebrate my heritage.
My goal is to be a resource for anyone eager to explore Mexican cuisine and culture through homestyle Mexican recipes and comfort foods. Welcome to my virtual cocina where I share vibrant flavors of Mexico and heartwarming family stories.
Bienvenidos.
About Yvette
Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack is an Emmy-recognized food storyteller and author, on-camera host, home chef, and author of three cookbooks — Muy Bueno, Latin Twist, and Muy Bueno Fiestas.
I’m a second-generation Mexican-American, born and raised in El Paso, Texas, and I now live in the beautiful state of Colorado with my husband and two children. I keep my heart in two places because I’m completely in love with our home in Colorado and I’m also a proud Tejana!
Mexican food and culture have always been a big part of my life. As a young girl, I remember learning to cook with my mom, Vangie, and my grandma, Jesusita. But it wasn’t until my grandmother passed away at the age of 98 that I realized how passionate I truly was about keeping my culture alive in my own family.
It was then that I realized: if I didn’t cook, our family recipes would disappear. Instead, I decided to celebrate traditional Mexican foods and holidays with my children so they could appreciate the rich and unique heritage of Mexico.
Now, my children help me in the kitchen when I cook, and they love hearing stories of my childhood. One day as we were eating dinner, my daughter, Maya, asked if I planned to write down our family recipes for her to have when she left for college. She was only 8 years old at the time, but that question inspired everything that followed. I turned to my mom and said, “Mom, let’s write a cookbook!” — and that’s how it all started.
My Story & Culinary Journey
Here on Muy Bueno, I share a collection of traditional Mexican recipes served with a generous helping of family stories. These are the recipes passed down through generations — along with new creations inspired by my travels throughout Mexico and my life in Colorado.
The name Muy Bueno comes from my grandma, who always invited everyone to the table with the words, “Siéntate a comer, está muy bueno” (“Sit down and eat — it’s very good”). Those words — and her spirit — are what fuel everything I create.
I hope you’ll enjoy discovering my grandma’s secrets to great Northern Mexican cuisine while following my journey as an evolving home chef who shares new recipes each week.
Featured In
My work has been recognized by national media outlets for my traditional Mexican recipes, cultural storytelling, and expert commentary on food authenticity and AI-generated content.
- NBC News (On-Air Interview) — Why AI holiday recipes can’t handle the heat
- The New York Times — A Pocket Full of Pumpkin Flavor (Pumpkin Empanadas)
- TODAY Food — Skip the jar and get creative with easy, homemade salsa
- Bloomberg (Interview) — AI Recipes Are Taking Over the Internet and Thanksgiving Dinner
Expert commentary on food authenticity and AI - NPR — Mexican Pantry Staples with Yvette Marquez
- Food Network / Coca-Cola National TV Spot — Commercial featuring Muy Bueno
- Martha Stewart — How to Store and Freeze Strawberries to Maximize Their Freshness
You can explore the full list of features and collaborations on my Press Page.
From Cocina to Career
From Cocina to Career — chisme, strategy, and the real work behind building Muy Bueno. I’m Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, Mexican cookbook author and founder of Muy Bueno.
If you’ve ever wondered how I turned my love of Mexican cooking into a thriving brand — from blogging and cookbook writing to partnering with major brands — this is where I share it all.
On my Substack, Cocina to Career, I open up about the business side of my journey: pitching, negotiating, growing a team, building multiple income streams, and staying rooted in my Northern Mexican heritage while growing a modern food media brand. It’s honest. It’s strategic. And it’s the real behind-the-scenes of what it takes to turn passion into profession.
Why You Can Trust My Mexican Recipes
Authentic Mexican food varies from person to person.
As a proud Latina, Tejana, Mexicana, Chicana, Mexican-American — I share recipes that are rooted in my family’s traditions and my love for real Mexican home cooking.
Your grandma’s homemade flour tortillas, capirotada, and red enchiladas might be different from mine, and that’s what makes every family’s journey unique. The recipes I share are inspired by my late grandmother’s northern Mexico roots, my mother’s home cooking in El Paso, and my own culinary adventures across Mexico.
As the founder of Muy Bueno, I’ve shared over 1,000 recipes across my blog and three cookbooks. From taco recipes, empanadas, and enchiladas, to margaritas and tamales, I’m here to help you make delicious, foolproof Mexican dishes at home.
Start Here
Along with all the recipes, I also use the blog to share bits and pieces of my life outside la cocina — from travel adventures to home improvements.
Recipes
Explore by holiday, course, or ingredient. Popular recipes include Mexican Pork Tamales Rojos, Birria de Res, and Red Chicken Pozole.
Travel
From my hometown of El Paso to the coastlines of Mexico, I love exploring local flavors, culture, and traditions. See more on my travel adventures.
Tips
I love sharing kitchen tips that make cooking easier. Find all my kitchen tips here!
Mi Casa
From redecorating to gardening and crafts, take a peek at my home.
Events
Join me for book signings, cooking demos, and workshops. View upcoming events.
Videos
See my latest videos and tutorials on the Muy Bueno YouTube channel.
My Passion
As a mother, I care deeply about ensuring children have access to healthy, nourishing food. In 2012, I was honored to join First Lady Michelle Obama in a live roundtable discussion to address issues impacting Hispanic families, including health and nutrition.
I’m also an active supporter of Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign, and I’ve participated in past initiatives like Friendsgiving and #BakeItForward.
Follow Muy Bueno
Mi casa es su casa. Welcome to my online home. As my grandma used to say, “Panza llena, corazón contento” (Full stomach, happy heart).
If you love Mexican food recipes, I’d love to stay connected and share more of my favorite comfort foods and modern Latin-inspired dishes. Subscribe to my newsletter so you never miss a new recipe from my cocina to yours.
Contact Muy Bueno
Got a favorite recipe you’d like to see on the blog? Or wanna tell me how one of my recipes turned out? Visit my contact page — I’d love to hear from you! I love working with brands for recipe posts and videos. Check out my work with me page for more information.
Say hola and reach out:
- Say hola: yvette@muybuenocookbook.com
- For literary inquiries: please contact my literary agency, The Ekus Group at Sally@EkusGroup.com
- For public relations: please contact, Andrea Burnett Public Relations at aburnettpr@gmail.com
- For TV, digital, print, brand partnerships, or speaking: contact my manager, Johanna Voss at johanna@johannavoss.com
Check out my books:
You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
I love hearing from you!
Your comments, likes, and shares are the greatest compliments. Your engagement means so much more than you may know.
- If you make a recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and a comment.
- If you follow along on social, like, save, and comment.
- If you know someone who would love my blog, share it.
- If you want to hear from me more often, subscribe.
- And if there’s something you’d like to see here, contact me.
