<aside> 👋🏾 Hi! I am María José. I am a Colombian fermenter specializing in food fungi, a chef, and a graphic designer. My personal project and brand is Called Ma! condiments. I am an expert in solid food fermentation with an emphasis on mushrooms. I offer mentoring and training for restaurants, chefs, startups, and food businesses in preservation techniques and culinary creativity, as well as zero-waste strategies based on fermentation. I direct and plan food production projects at all scales, and lead projects and teams in food research. I teach workshops, talks, and training sessions on fermentation at all levels. Based in Barcelona since 2011.

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Contact

📪 [email protected]

🖼 @macondiments

💻 macondiments online

Linkedin: Maria Jose Mantilla

Experience

Be resilient European initiative: Makeat + ODS protein & Ma! condiments

Head researcher and solid fermentation specialist, Barcelona. – (Jul 2024 - Mar 2025)

• Development of a solid fermentation protocol, biomass and method for industrial waste.
• R&D and research on six Asian food molds varieties: behavior, metabolism and resulting products.
• R&D of recipes, standardization, production sheets, spore progress sheets, and fermentation test reports
• HACCP process design for fermentation workshop processes.

Ma! Fungi consulting (fermentation specialist)

Founder*, Barcelona. – (May 2023 - Present day)*

• RESTAURANT CONSULTING: Bespoke consulting services for star-rated restaurants or local restaurants on fermentation, fermentation planning methods, preparation of spaces and kitchens suitable for preservation, waste management and recycling theory, training in traditional and modern fermentation with fungi, bacteria, yeasts, and acids. HACCP, safe production and food safety.
• R+D & TECH CONSULTING: Bespoke consulting services based on a novel ingredient or a basic research idea. Creation and leadership of the entire project, production times and methods, research topics, starters and mothers, suppliers, products and ingredients, techniques used, product prototyping and direct communication with clients.
• Mentoring & SEMI PRO CONSULTING: Bespoke consulting services for semi-professional individuals in gastronomy, with a project or startup idea and/or fermentation enthusiasts. Mentoring master's degree in fermentation, fermentation planning methods, preparation of spaces and kitchens suitable for preservation, waste management and theory, training in traditional and modern fermentation with fungi, bacteria, yeasts, and acids. HACCP safe production and food safety.
• Classes, Workshops & Talks: Public or private events related to fermentation, fermenting waste, working with fungi and the techniques I use in different formats and difficulty levels. University lectures and symposia.

Some of Ma!’s collabs and clients over the years: Aponiente, Cadiz. Disfrutar, Barcelona. Arrea, Euskadi. Il Pagliaccio, Roma. Tohqa, el Puerto de Santa María. Nublo, La Rioja. Direkte, Barcelona. Acquolina, Roma. Cett Universitat de Barcelona, Universidad de Navarra, Universidad de la Rioja, among others.

Ma! condimentos vivos de Asia (fermentation kitchen and lab)

Founder*, Barcelona. – (Oct 2018 - Mar 2023)*

• Creation of our own fermentation and incubation system for koji and anaerobic fermentations.
• Recipe R&D, standardization, costings, costs, pricing, and launch of 30+ fermented products within 4 years.
• Recipe R&D, standardization, costings, costs, pricing, and design of custom ferments for restaurants, food businesses and chefs.