About Us
Esencias Panameñas is dedicated to preserving and sharing the authentic culinary traditions of Panama in Washington, DC and across the United States.
As a woman-owned, Black-owned, and Latina-owned business, we specialize in traditional Panamanian cuisine prepared with cultural integrity, premium ingredients, and time-honored techniques.
We provide:
• Full-service catering throughout the DMV
• Local pickup and delivery
• Nationwide shipping of select frozen appetizers, baked goods, pantry items, and specialty products
Our mission is simple: bring the true flavors of Panama to every table we serve.
The Name
The name Esencias Panameñas reflects the distinctive spices and aromas that define Panamanian cuisine.
The most essential ingredient is culantro (not cilantro) — a tropical herb native to Central and South America that gives many of our dishes their unmistakable depth of flavor.
These “essences” are at the heart of everything we create.
The Owner
Chef Yadira Stamp, PhD, CEC is an Afro-Latina from Panama City whose career spans engineering, academia, and the culinary arts.
She initially pursued her first passion — becoming an astronaut — earning a degree in Electrical Engineering with minors in Computer Science and Robotics and being accepted into NASA’s Training and Apprenticeship Program. When that path ended, she built a 25-year career as a Senior Technical Designer and Analyst, gaining deep expertise in engineering, computer science, and leadership.
Following this, she returned to her second passion — the culinary arts, inspired by her mother’s decades of catering in Panama. In 2009, she began professional culinary training, graduating cum laude, and studied in the Panamanian countryside under culinary matriarchs, mastering traditional techniques she still uses today.
Building Esencias Panameñas
In 2012, Chef Yadira founded Esencias Panameñas in Washington, DC, introducing authentic Panamanian cuisine to the region. She published her first cookbook, Panama on a Plate, and is currently developing a sequel, Panama on Another Plate.
From 2014 to 2019, she operated a brick-and-mortar restaurant, earning recognition including:
- Best of D.C. (2016–2018) – Best Latin American Cuisine
In 2019, she transitioned to a licensed commercial kitchen, expanding catering, specialty production, and nationwide shipping. From this model, Esencias Panameñas has since been voted:
- Best of D.C. (2023–2025) – Best Empanadas
Authority, Service, and Leadership
Chef Yadira is a Certified Executive Chef (CEC) and earned her PhD in Food Science (2024). She has catered for judges, U.S. senators, members of Congress, and the mayor of Washington, DC, and has been featured on television and in national and international media.
In 2022, she volunteered with World Central Kitchen in Ukraine, preparing and distributing hundreds of thousands of meals and grocery kits to families in crisis. She continues to mentor aspiring entrepreneurs, perform culinary demonstrations, and preserve the culinary heritage of Panama.
Today, Chef Yadira combines her expertise, creativity, and resilience to lead Esencias Panameñas — delivering authentic Panamanian cuisine, cultural experiences, and culinary education across the United States.
You can learn more about Chef Yadira and hire her for speaking engagements on her website, www.ChefYadira.com.