Mariana Velasquez

An evocative new campaign created by Brave Makers for Kitchenware retailer Sur La Table celebrates noted cookbook author, food stylist and designer Mariana Velásquez with authentic style, heart, and a touch of magical realism. Aligned with the release of the Mariana Velásquez x Sur La Table collection, the central film explores Mariana’s origin story, including her Colombian roots and philosophy around food. A tastemaker who explores the juxtaposition of food, fashion and art, Mariana’s work is an edible canvas where she invites the viewer to eat with their senses.

“Mariana Velásquez is a creative force, a natural host, and someone whose love of cooking is so genuine it stops you in your tracks. For Sur La Table, finding a collaborator who shares our belief that cooking is an act of love and gathering is what makes life richer, and who brings that belief to life with such a distinct creative eye, that is not something you take for granted," notes Kristin Flor Perret, VP Brand Marketing, Sur La Table.

Directed by Sami Abdou, who also served as the editor and co-developed the concept alongside Brave Makers Founder and Executive Producer Justin Ross, the campaign includes the hero film, short-form social content, and video assets playing in Sur La Table stores across the country.

“Sami, Justin, and Brave Makers saw exactly what we saw in Mariana and captured it with the kind of artistry that turns a campaign into something people actually remember,” comments Flor Perret. “They brought her story to life in a way that invites others to experience that same joy of making and gathering.”

Growing up in a predominantly immigrant community, Sami Abdou spent his life learning how to connect with people of all backgrounds, and this became the foundation of his vibrant directing career. Drawn to Mariana's holistic approach to food, art and culture, Abdou saw an opportunity to build something that moves beyond traditional storytelling in a highly collaborative process with Velásquez herself, who also contributed visual direction.

“The goal was to translate and deliver her fresh perspective and build a visual world around it, one that honors her origin story and her deep belief in the importance of gathering, and the imprint that food culture has on deep connections,” says Abdou, an Emmy-nominated director whose own creative imprint spans documentaries, branded films, and unscripted television. “In addition to expressing Mariana as an original artist, our aim was to welcome the viewer into her warm and expressive world.”

To do so, the campaign embraced documentary approaches with stylized elements, balancing handheld, intimate footage with more constructed visuals to reflect both authenticity and the expressive, magical quality of Velásquez’s world. Incorporating techniques that break from what has become common language for food and culinary-based projects, Abdou and the Brave Makers team employed select AI-enhanced elements to bring unexpected moments to life. The score was composed using original AI-generated music created by Abdou through a process of generating and refining hundreds of tracks to find the right tone.

“This campaign is everything that we want Brave Makers to be represented by: Elevated and imaginative documentary style with soul and substance at its core,” explains Brave Makers EP/Founder, Justin Ross. “This was a great example of partnership, where everyone involved, including Mariana, embraced a spirit of deep collaboration to produce something strikingly beautiful that draws upon real-world experiences and inspiration.”