About Maria & Pepe
Stichting Maria & Pepe is an ongoing cultural project rooted in the joy of connection and a deep love for the planet. What began as a love story between two people has grown into a living celebration of people, stories, shared meals, and dance expressed through a yearly programme of events and a plant-based pop-up restaurant.
We are guided by the magic of simplicity and the wisdom of Mexican culture. Through food, music, storytelling, and hands-on experiences — from discovering a new dish to joining a cooking class or salsa workshop — we create opportunities for people from all walks of life to connect, step gently beyond their comfort zone, and share jouyful moments.
We are idealists, and believe that peace begins by getting to know each other a little better. Sticthing Maria & Pepe is our small contribution to that vision; creating a colorful space where listening, sharing, and celebrating together become acts of care for each other and for the Earth.
ABOUT MARIA
Maria has two homes. Mexico City is her first. This is where she spent her days dipping her fingers into bags of chips with hot sauce and lime juice, soaking the sunshine, and feeding her interest of her culture with stories and traditions of the most colorful city in the world. Now living in Rotterdam, she loves finding gold in the mundane and showing it through stories and within the the Maria & Pepe programme. Her heart belongs to animals and to the sunshine, which she looks for amidst the stone-colored Dutch clouds.
ABOUT PEPE
Pepe’s real name is Joost. In Mexico, Pepe is a nickname for those called José – which translates to Joost in Dutch. Maria’s father named him Pepe at the start of their relationship. Pepe is an ecopreneur and arid tree-lover in search of a joyful, peaceful way of living on this Earth. Time is precious for Pepe. For him, every second is a golden opportunity to make a positive impact within yourself and the world.