Rivas' path to the competition has spanned decades and countries, and she says her silver medal is nowhere near the end of her journey.

Before becoming a chef at MSU, Rivas worked for an international news agency in Mexico, where she reported on human rights. Rivas said being a journalist allowed her to go to different events, meet new people and interact with different careers and passions.

The work created an open space where she could find something that she could enjoy, she said.

"I loved journalism. It was a great experience," Rivas said. "But when I did it, it was kind of my dad’s dream."

When Rivas moved to the United States in June 2015, she bounced from odd jobs that included being an Uber driver and a technician at a hospital.

In 2018, Rivas began working in the kitchen at MSU. She found herself liking the culture and diversity of MSU and continued to rise within the university’s culinary services. Now, she works in a supervisor role as a sous chef in South Neighborhood.

Rivas says her culinary process draws from skills she learned through journalism, namely research and collaboration. She uses spices from India, techniques from Mexico and ingredients from around the world to create a dish. She aims to highlight the importance of the heritage, culture and rituals that go into every dish.

Rivas described how every time her grandmother would add an ingredient to a dish, it felt like a kind of blessing.

"Saying I hope this food is enough, I hope this food is good for the people that are gonna receive it," Rivas added.

"I really love to be around the kitchen, because this connects me a lot with who I used to be in Mexico," said Rivas. "You know Mexicans, we are cooking all the time, and it’s like a family ritual. You know the dad does this, the grandma does this, and we are all around the table talking."

Rivas said that being in the kitchen at MSU, collaborating with her team and being in a familiar environment helped her adjust to America and combat homesickness. She added that cooking is special to her and her heritage, and she is intent on building an environment where collaboration and joy are part of the process.

"I try to get this message and give it to the people that work with me in the kitchen," Rivas said. "Because if you are angry, if you are sad, if you are frustrated, that is gonna be your food."

As Rivas walked into the culinary competition earlier this month, it was those experiences  — both from her time in Mexico and at MSU — that she brought with her. She was nervous ahead of the contest, she said, but once she got started, she knew her plan would work because it was the best she could do.

"The only thing you can do is your best all the time. No matter if you're going to pick a paper from the floor, you have to do it with your best energy. There is no bad results when you do that," Rivas said.