Daniella is a Mexican cook who grew up in the Iztapalapa borough of Mexico City. A marine biologist, she worked as the director of Puerto Morelos Marine Park on the Yucatan Peninsula before her 2012 move to Adelaide (with her academic husband Kor-jent van Dijk) sparked a delicious career change. In Adelaide, Daniella's passions for community, food and Mexico could shine, and her and Kor's underground dinner series, Mi Mero Mole, enjoyed a cult following before their traditional taqueria, Port Adelaide's La Popular Taqueria, opened in 2017. La Popular Taqueria is now one of Australia's most acclaimed Mexican restaurants, while Daniella is increasingly sought after at festivals and in the media (SBS, The Guardian and Broadsheet) for her expertise and knowledge.