Cuban actress Aylín Mujica had one of the most emotional moments in the fifth season of Top Chef VIP when she prepared a lentil dish that took her back to her childhood on the island, where food scarcity was a part of everyday life.
According to Telemundo in a video from the episode, Mujica explained on camera that this humble dish reminds her of her grandmother, who used to prepare it for her before ballet classes. "There was nothing to eat in Cuba," said the actress, summarizing in a single sentence the reality she experienced as a child in Havana.
Far from being just a culinary memory, lentils became a tribute to his roots and to the woman who shaped his childhood. Mujica grew up in Cuba from the age of nine, training at the National Ballet School, a discipline that demanded energy and dedication in an environment where obtaining food was an everyday challenge.
"Land, Time, and Lentils" was the name chosen by the Cuban for her dish, and she confessed that when her children were born, she wanted to continue the family tradition and made them lentils. "Blessed be your children," was the reaction of chef Antonio "Toño" de Livier upon tasting it.
The dish not only filled the episode with emotion: it also earned Mujica the first immunity of the competition, a result that strongly positions her from the very beginning of the reality show hosted by Carmen Villalobos, in which 20 celebrities compete for a prize of $200,000.
The premiere, aired on Tuesday, August 11, was also marked by a heartbreaking coincidence: that same date would have been the 33rd birthday of his eldest son, Mauro Menéndez, who passed away on July 17 in Barbados after suffering severe complications from pneumonia.
Despite the mourning, actress decided to continue on the show with a clear conviction: "I’m returning to Top Chef VIP because that’s what Mauro would have wanted."
On the day of the premiere, Mujica posted an emotional tribute to his son on Instagram, featuring photographs that spanned from his childhood to adulthood. "Today I celebrate your life to the heavens, my dear Mauro. I miss you so much. From the moment you came into my life, you made me the happiest mom in the world," he wrote.
The message concluded with a promise: "I know that nothing will ever be the same, but I promise to try to be happy because I know that's what you want most for me. I will love you and carry you with me forever."
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