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THE COMPANY | HISTORY

With roots in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Aguacate Vieques has been operating on island since 2008. Proprietors Alex Mazzocca and Glen Martin met at the nationally lauded Provincetown hot spot, The Martin House. Inspired by the charm and authenticity of the 18th century building, The Martin House came to life in 1991. In the 16 years the restaurant was open, it and Chef Alex received kudos from The James Beard Foundation, The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, Cape Cod Life Magazine. The pair started visiting Vieques in the mid 1990s, when the cape was closed for the winter season.

Martin House by Dan Rupe 

In 10 years, they never missed a yearly visit.  After retiring The Martin House and relocating to Vieques full time, their zeal to feed people in a creative fashion lingered on. Glen and Alex identified a need for professional catering services on the island. In 2008, when Aguacate Catering was established, the business took off and set the bar for quality in the island’s catering market.  In 2018 Ms. Jessie Riley's wedding and event production expertise were added to the mix, along with Carla Picayo and her gorgeous cakes, to shape Aguacate Vieques | Catering + Events. Our team provides accessible elegance to discerning clients that adore Vieques, Puerto Rico as much as we do.

Checkout this blast from the past

ABOUT US | THE TEAM

GLEN MARTIN | 

DIRECTOR

Photo: Jennifer Teeter

Originally from Massachusetts, Glen spent his formative years in southern California. In his youth he traveled extensively through Africa and South America before earning a Master's Degree in Anthropology from Columbia University. He found this endeavor left him certifiably unemployable. His only logical solution was to go into the restaurant business, where he set out to make healthy, locally sourced food and genuinely interesting vegetarian offerings. Never straying too far from the coast, Glen’s emphasis on fresh seafood was always at the forefront of his culinary endeavors.    

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Through the success of The Martin House, he met and established relationships with people who were to become life-long friends. Several of these folks have taken a page from Glen’s book and moved to Vieques, a place that, not unlike Provincetown, feels a world away from the rest of the country. 

Chef Alex was raised in upstate New York in an Italian-American household, where food was more than fuel and every meal was a family affair. Cooking was a serious tradition that was passed on through recipes from the old country to newest generation.  He began working in restaurants at age 19 while he studied fine arts at Hunter College. Soon realizing his true passion was the art of food, he completed his culinary education at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY.  

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Greatly inspired by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, a renowned chef who was among the first to create unusual and “New American” cuisine in the United States, Alex honed his flair for innovative interpretations of classic French cuisine. Chef Alex enjoys growing his herb and vegetable garden, using fresh and local ingredients to create his explosively flavorful food.

Photo:  Jennifer Teeter

Raised as an Air Force brat, Ms. Jessie spent her formative years in Turkey, falling in love with Mediterranean food and spices at a young age. She studied broadcast and video production at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. She first discovered her talents for scheduling, organization, and event planning while working as a production coordinator on commercial film shoots. During her time in Florida,  she was introduced to Puerto Rican food and culture and fell in love all over again.  

After relocating to Austin, Texas, she began working as an event planner and field marketing manager for major liquor brands. From 2010-14 she served as Artist Hospitality Director for the Texas-based music festival UtopiaFest.  Ms. Jessie has called Vieques home since 2016 and is a recent addition to the Aguacate Vieques team. She has years of experience planning corporate/private events, destination weddings and also serves as the company's in-house web designer. 

Photo:  Jennifer Teeter

Originally from Babylon, New York, Carla was greatly inspired by the cooking traditions of her Argentinian family. After graduating from New York Cooking School, she owned and served as head chef at the popular upper west side 79th Street Boat Basin Cafe.  During her tenure as a successful caterer and restaurateur, Carla and her family owned and operated a rescue farm tending to the needs of wayward pasture animals.

After spending a decade in St Thomas, U.S.V.I., Carla became adept at baking in a tropical climate. She began visiting Vieques Island in 2012 while on her honeymoon. Carla decided that being a part time resident was not enough and moved to Vieques full time in 2016. She delights in designing decadent cupcakes but her true passion is multi-tiered cakes for weddings and special events. Her confections can be sampled locally at Rising Roost Market & Cafe in Isabel Segunda.

Photo:  Jennifer Teeter