Ayde Haggins of Mitsura Restaurant

Ayde Haggins is the chef and owner of?Mitsura, Peruvian fusion restaurant in White Plains. Originally from Peru, Ayde has been a resident of Westchester County for more than 20 years.

Before opening her own restaurant, Ayde worked in various fields including?banquets, catering for private events, as a personal chef, as well as chef for various hospitals. Mistura features traditional and Peruvian fusion dishes, as well as American food. ?Ayde has always been passionate about food and discovering new ingredients to perfect her dishes. It is a great pride for Ayde to introduce some of Peru’s culinary wealth!

As a female entrepreneur and chef, I am honored to be able to contribute to the YWCA in its fundraising event. ?At Mistura, we are happy to give back to the community and help women become the future leaders of our community. ?As a mother of three young ladies, I know how important it is for young women to see examples of women in leadership roles, management, science and technology, as well as running businesses.

Here is Ayde’s secret to success: “To be brave and confident in yourself, even when times are difficult and the goal seems very far off or out of reach. ?It has taken a lot of hard work and determination to get to where I am now, running a successful business in Westchester. ?It was over 20 years ago that I arrived to NY as an immigrant, and it took a lot of trying and learning until I found my way. ?I had the fortune of finding I had a passion for food early on, I studied culinary arts, and it is where I have been the happiest.”

Ayde’s favorite thing about being a restaurant owner: “I love the nature of running a business. It is a lot of work, but it is very rewarding to see people enjoy our food, and building a relationship with my clients as I deal with them personally. ?It gives me a lot of feedback personally to speak with my clients and hear their suggestions on where we can improve. On another level, I also love the opportunity of introducing people to a lot of traditional Peruvian dishes, with its great history and variety of ingredients. ?It is a point of pride for a lot of Peruvians!”

Get your tickets to the YWCA White Plains & Central Westchester’s Turn Up the Heat event below: