I first met Ana Ortiz on a dance floor of a small boîte de nuit in Paris. It was my birthday and she was new in town; we had been introduced by a close mutual friend in California. It was Ana’s year of ‘oui’ and she soon became the ultimate wing woman: a trusted confidant, an agile dance partner, and the creator of exquisite gatherings. With culinary and cultural influences culled from her childhood in Puerto Rico, her Spanish grandmother’s cooking, and stints living and working in New York, California and France, Ana possessed a knack for bringing people and flavors together in a way that was both surprising and full of ease.
