Iris Veronica is Chef, Culinary Director of La Casita Pupuseria & Restaurant 198.  She is a native of Washington, DC and now lives in Silver Spring, MD.  Her parents are Salvadoran born and she is a first generation Salvadoran-American. She received a bachelor’s degree from George Mason University in Communication and worked many years as general & marketing manager in the restaurant industry. 

After working in front of house for over 10 years she realized that her true calling was in the kitchen and enrolled in the Art Institute of Washington and received her degree in Culinary Arts.  She is also an alumni of James Beard Foundation Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Program and works closely with the Salvadoran Embassy and Consulate, and Alianza de Mujeres CentroAmericanas on cultural, food and female representation within the community.  She was recently featured in Las Pupusas documentary on Amazon Prime as well as in Leguizamo Does America on MSNBC.