By Fernanda Noriega
“Your business should be called Cheese Moon,” said little 7-year-old Maya. She had no idea that her words would have such a great impact on the character of the business that became the well-known and totally unique San Miguel establishment: a restaurant and a gourmet shop. It was named just as the little girl recommended: Luna de Queso—cheese moon, and it has been around now for fourteen years.
“Life is accidental”
Mariana Pedraza, the owner, had studied Plastic Arts with a specialty in ceramics at Instituto Allende. She had a scholarship from FONCA (National Fund for Culture and the Arts) and the support of her parents, who were pioneers in Mexico in the production of French style handcrafted cheese.
Even during college Mariana liked to cook occasionally, and when she completed her professional degree, she decided to start a bakery. “I chose the path of art, but I was always very close to the world of cooking thanks to my parents,” she says proudly. This helped her cover her expenses as a student and as an artist for a long time.
Eventually, at her bakery, she began to sell the cheeses her parents produced. The first two years weren’t easy. Mariana ran the business alone and practically devoured all the books at the library because customers were very scarce. Then she saw that people began looking more and more for her products. “San Miguel adopted me. People had needs. I remember they asked me about spices or ingredients that they wanted to cook with and I told them that I would take care of getting those for them.” She so she did just that, and from then on the business took off.
“Luna de Queso is not me, we are a network of brave women”
Currently Luna de Queso is located at Josefina Orozco 10, in a building as creative as the whole concept. It was designed by Architect Mauricio Alonso, Mariana’s husband. In her store you can find more than 100 types of artisanal cheeses, bread, and ingredients from around the world: China, Japan, France, Italy, Lebanon and others. You can find nuts, spices, grains, teas, preserves and more. In total there are more than 2 thousand products in the inventory that you will hardly find anywhere else. But Mariana emphasizes: “Luna de Queso is not me, we are 38 women throughout the restaurant, the store and the administrative area.” Some of these women, like Adriana, are Mariana’s “right hand,” who have been with her for more than 11 years, thanks to the social responsibility that Mariana has toward her employees. “There are some very harsh realities out there. I make sure that here everyone feels as if in a safe haven and is happy working without neglecting their personal fulfillment,” says Mariana. These women have shared trips, workshops and a psychologist who is available as needed. Luna de Queso represents a network of women who have created strong ties and have grown personally along with the project. The affection they feel is reflected in every space, and in every dish served to customers.
“We are not an exclusive store, we are a totally inclusive project”
Among the customers there are young people, older adults, businessmen, tourists and locals. Some come in search of vegan products, others have grown fond of having breakfast at the restaurant, and some come from far away to take home a supply of cheeses. Luna de Queso does not have a brand, it is not an exclusive store nor does it pretend to be. Whatever your needs or interest, you will find just about everything here, and incidentally you will support local commerce. “When the economy remains in San Miguel and local businesses support each other, we are all contributing to maintaining the essence of our beloved town,” says Mariana.
San Miguel has grown considerably for some time. There is great diversity in the population as well as in the commercial area. After listening to Mariana, it is evident that Luna de Queso has grown along with the town, and that is why it has positioned itself as a link between Mexican producers and entrepreneurs as an outlet for sales. It also safeguards the freshness and quality of the products that you bring to your family and into your home.
“I did not abandon art to start a business, I accidentally found it when I saw my customers smile”
If there is one specific characteristic of Luna de Queso, it is creativity. When Mariana told me about her career as a visual artist, I understood the presence of the “rainbow” in the dishes on the menu, in the structure of the establishment, and in the personality of her staff. “The food must be colored, that tells us that it is nutritious,” she says.
When visiting the restaurant, you notice that the dishes are more than just food; they are a work of culinary art, worthy of an artist venturing into creative gastronomy. They are full of colors and textures, almost like a painting.
For Mariana what comes first is that the food be healthy, and she promotes a conscious and balanced diet. She also passes on her philosophy to her work team—the honesty and transparency with which she lives her life. This is the ideology that he has not been fulfilled, but is ever moving in that direction.
“We are in San Miguel! Here you find the possibility to improvise, to be yourself, to inspire yourself and inspire others,” she concludes with a smile.
Josefina Orozco 10, Sin Nombre. Mon-Sat, 8:30am-6:30pm
