This is me.

I’m Mariana Pelaez — a cookbook and food photographer based in NYC, originally from Puebla, Mexico.

Before diving fully into photography, I earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication with a focus on photography and cinema. Visual storytelling has always been my language — long before I stepped into the world of food entrepreneurship.

For seven years, I co-owned two restaurants in Puebla, a city at the heart of Mexico’s culinary heritage and a quiet but powerful influence on the NYC food scene. One of the spaces was a multidisciplinary cultural center blending cinema, art, and cuisine. The other spotlighted the region’s rich gastronomic traditions through experimental, locally rooted dishes. Those years taught me the complex world it truly takes to craft a dish — not just in the kitchen, but as a story, an experience, a conversation.

Since moving to New York in 2019, I’ve photographed over 30 restaurants, collaborated with more than 10 food and beverage brands, and covered culinary events across the city. In 2023, I photographed my first cookbook, Black Rican Vegan by Lyana Blount — a vibrant celebration of Puerto Rican plant-based cuisine that deepened my love for longform culinary storytelling.

Today, I specialize in cookbook photography, restaurant campaigns, editorial shoots, and food-forward brand storytelling. My goal is always to create images that feel alive — that stir up appetite, nostalgia, curiosity, and joy.

Let’s make your next project unforgettable.

E-mail: marianapelaez@gmail.com 

Phone: 917-396-6322