Hi, I’m Franchesca, but you can call me Artichoke Mama. Like an artichoke, I have a lot of layers that I love fiercely – food, people, family, travel, happiness.
I’m a single mom, passionate restauranteur, chef, and health advocate that’s constantly striving to make a difference. This is an intimate look inside my journey as I peel away each leaf of life’s artichoke until I reach the core of truly living with compassion, intelligence, and love.
Artichoke Mama is inspired by my son as he grows up.
I want to give him the right tools and knowledge, like the right food, nutrients, and vitamins to keep him strong. I want him to have the courage and drive to find his own happiness, to work hard to make his dreams come true, and to appreciate everything. I want him to be genuine, generous, and kind. And I want to remember this time as we build his foundation. I want to use this moment to help others.
“Each leaf of the artichoke represents the many facets of motherhood and career, all based in happiness, health, strength, and food.”
— franchesca, artichoke mama
more about franchesca
I’m a Southern California girl with a Brazilian father and Texan mother. Over the last twenty years, I’ve traveled extensively over Europe, Central America, and South America. I’ve lived in amazing places, too – Aspen, Lake Tahoe, Florence Italy, San Diego, Miami Beach and now Dallas, Texas. My Dallas-based restaurant, Dive Coastal, has been opened almost a decade and I’m always proud to introduce different cultural influences with healthy, good-for-you flavors. To me, cooking and nutrition is a door to the world – and I always keep it open.
