www.negociosnow.com
March 2022 54
Age: 30
Title: Owner & Executive Director
Name of Organization: MCM
Protein Bar
Marlen Villordo is an exe-
cutive chef and co-owner of
MCM Protein Bar in Pilsen.
MCM (My Community Mat-
ters) is a Latina-owned nu-
tritional coffee shop that ho-
pes to inspire others to make
healthier life choices. She is
also a chef nutritionist, a chef
worlds cuisine, has a specialty
in molecular cuisine, and is a
sommelier.
At the age of 5 Villordo
knew she wanted to be a chef
after seeing her mother selling
baked goods in the streets of
Mexico in order to provide
food for her family. In 2011,
Villordo and her family arrived
in Chicago in search of a bet
-
ter life. In 2018 she received a
degree in culinary arts from
Chicago's Kendall College.
During her studies she in-
terned in Spain under the di-
rection of the renowned chef
Jose Andres and molecular
chef Andoni Luis Aduriz at his
restaurant Mugaritz.
Today, Villordo has more
than 10 years of experience
in the industry and is the first
member of her family to open
a business. She has worked
with Rick Bayless, renowned
molecular chef Grant Achatz,
the Chicago Bears, the Field
Museum, the Peninsula Hotel
and the Allstate Arena provi
-
ding catering for international
recording artists.
In 2021 she opened MCM
Protein Bar in Pilsen with two
other Latina entrepreneurs.
Their mission is to help others
achieve a healthier lifestyle by
providing access to protein-
based healthy foods. Currently
she is expanding the business
by partnering with local bu
-
sinesses and gyms to offer
healthier meal options at their
facilities and making food ac-
cessible to the community.
Villordo is a single mother
and hopes to inspire her
4-year-old son Daniel as her
mother inspired her. She loves
cooking creative delicious dis-
hes for family and friends. Her
idea of life is: Success is not
achieved by accident, but by
hard work, perseverance, sa-
crifice, and most of all, loving
every battle that comes with it.
Cooking
up health
WORDS OF WISDOM:
"T
he more you learn, the
more you earn. The most
important thing is to be humble,
kind, supportive and to do
everything with love and passion."
Marlen Villordo
