We had the good fortune of connecting with Mark / Angela Perlioni / Persicke and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mark / Angela, what is the most important factor behind your success?
Passion is probably the most important factor. Quality, engagement, and professionalism are also big words that can be applied – and they are very important to us and our business, but without passion, everything else becomes more difficult. Everything else takes on the role of “work” just like any other job, and we just don’t see it that way. It’s “work” we love and the folks we work with have important jobs, so our commitment to excellence just comes as a by-product of our passion.

What should our readers know about your business?
Our business was simply a passion project that grew to a point that it made sense to start a business. We focus on recipe development and food photography/videography, mainly because these can be done for clients anywhere in the world. We also wrote a cookbook, Mangiamo, that was released earlier this year. We are proud of it and put a lot of work into its ultimate completion.

For us, there are no “secret” recipes and that is one of the more enjoyable things about the recipe creation part. A lot of research and testing goes into recipe creation and then it’s all about execution. Every cook and chef has a style and their own experiences to draw from so no two dishes will be the same anyway.

The business has not always been easy. We are careful to choose brands to work with that we actually like, that fit with our message and brand, and that our readers and followers will find enjoyable.

Instead of “lessons learned,” we would offer simple advice. The more you enjoy what you do, the better you will do it. It’s simple but very true and is a big part of who we are.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
For a week-long trip, we could expand outside of Houston. A few things that would be on the itinerary would be: Food Related:
Houston has a very diverse and growing food culture. It’s not just about BBQ and TexMex (although they’re here for sure as well). Here are some of our favorite foods and restaurants in the area:
Bluedorn – In Houston, a restaurant serving new American cuisine that is innovative and delicious
Houston Dairymaids – A cheese shop in Houston with a unique and wide selection of great cheeses, both local and from around the world
Xochi – Oaxaca-inspired Mexican restaurant that is upscale and one of the most interesting we’ve been to in Houston
BBQ – There are so many great spots for BBQ around that there are too many to name. As long as it’s not a chain, it will definitely be good!
Mexican Food – There’s great Mexican food all over the city and surrounding towns. Sometimes you’ll be in the mood for TexMex and sometimes for something more authentic and traditional. Either way, you will find it here.
Vietnamese Cuisine – The Vietnamese community is substantial in Houston and they have some great food! Very close to Houston you can find a number of great Vietnamese restaurants and Vietnamese fusion places that won’t disappoint.
The Houston Farmer’s Market just got a facelift and is a fascinating place to visit. Anything in season will be there and there are many places in and around the market to eat or buy foods to bring home.
In Southwest Houston there is a concentration of wonderful Indian markets and restaurants that are always worth a visit.

Fun Related:
Houston was known as “clutch city” when the Rockets won consecutive NBA titles in the 90s and is officially known as “Space City,” which is a nod to NASA. Going to see any number of sporting events (we have the Texans for NFL, the Rockets for NBA, the Astros for MLB, the Dynamo for MLS and the Dash for the NWSL) is always an option. NASA is, of course, a great attraction and only about 45 minutes from the city.
Just over an hour south of Houston is Galveston, which has charm and is a great beach community. Good food, the Strand (for shopping), deep sea or gulf fishing, Pleasure Pier, Moody Gardens and a number of museums all make that a worthy trip. It’s also a great place to grab some super-fresh seafood to bring home!

Kemah is also a nice place to visit. The boardwalk is sort of a retro amusement park and there is a nice little town surrounding it. Kemah is right on Trinity Bay just north of Galveston Bay.

Outside of Houston:
An overnight trip to the Texas Hill Country is always fun. Fredericksburg is a fun town that has some quaint restaurants and an up-and-coming wine trail. There are a few distilleries as well and even a few whiskey tasting trails. It takes about 4 hours by car and Austin is on the way, so you can stop there to see this unique Texas city.
Brenham is a little over an hour from Houston and is home to the Blue Bell Creamery – some of the best ice cream you’ll taste.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
We both fell into this business through our individual hobbies – cooking for Mark and photography for Angela. For Mark’s cooking journey, his culinary instructors at the Culinary Institute LeNotre, Houston, specifically Chef Olivier, Chef JR, and Chef Pascal. For Angela in her photography journey, educators such as Joanie Simon, Eva Kosmas Flores, and Rachel Korinek.

Website: www.cookingwithwineblog.com

Instagram: @cooking_with_wine

Facebook: @cookingwithwineblog

Other: TikTok: @cooking_with_wine

Image Credits
All images taken by Angela Persicke

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