A Conversation with Carolina Vásquez | The Backpack Chef Podcast

In this episode of The Backpack Chef, I speak with Carolina Vásquez, former Trade Commissioner at the Embassy of Chile in India and Canada, whose work has bridged countries, cultures, and economies through trade, food, and dialogue.

Our conversation explores the role of food as a quiet but powerful tool of diplomacy—how ingredients, culinary exchange, and shared meals often succeed where formal negotiations cannot. Carolina reflects on her experiences representing Chile across continents, navigating cultural nuance, and building long-term relationships between nations through trust, understanding, and collaboration.

We speak about global trade beyond numbers—about people, producers, farmers, and chefs—and how cultural sensitivity plays a vital role in creating sustainable partnerships. From wine and seafood to identity and national narrative, this episode offers rare insight into how countries tell their stories on the world stage through food and culture.

A thoughtful conversation for anyone interested in international relations, cultural exchange, food diplomacy, and the human side of global trade.