Founder & Chef Owner

Lily is the founder of Picado and author of the award winning book, TACOS by Blasta Books. Originally from Monterrey, Mexico, she has been living and cooking in Ireland for over 20 years with her Irish husband and business partner, Alan. When not busy with work, Lily can be found in her kitchen experimenting with recipes, writing on her kitchen table and learning to grow food in her tiny urban garden. She is a chef member of Euro-Toques Ireland, a member of The Irish Food Writers’ Guild and she passionately believes in the Slow Food ethos of good, clean and fair food. Lily is a regular face on Irish morning TV and a frequent radio contributor.

Retail Manager

Liz grew up in a multi-cultural family. Born in Mexico City to a Mexican mom and an English dad. She moved around the world a lot and grew up in The Netherlands. She has lived in Ireland since 2000. You can find her either reading, walking her two dogs, watching K-drama or in the kitchen bringing a fusion of flavours from around the world to the table. Her huge amount of cookbooks could fill a small library and her kids and American-Irish husband get to taste it all. She loves chatting to customers and giving them recipe ideas when they don’t know where to start.

Warehouse & Logistics Manager

Juan Pablo is a man of many talents. An accountant by trade, most of his professional experience was spent in large warehousing operations in Mexico, so Picado’s warehouse is a breeze since he joined the team. He is also a very accomplished cook and can talk about food as much as any of our chefs. Originally from Mexico City, his hobbies include exercising, gardening and traveling to learn about other cultures. His favourite greeting: - Hello my friend! - He is genuinely the friendliest person we know!

Retail Assistant / Marketing

Elizabeth Duarte, or Eli as we all call her, is originally from Mexico City, believes in the power of self-invention. She studied journalism and worked in media, marketing and advertising before moving to Ireland in 2017, where she has taken on various roles. Her true passion lies in creating community spaces through art, where people can express and understand their emotions. She organizes workshops for the migrant community in Ireland. For Eli, teamwork and the strength of the collective are essential to building a better future. She enjoys long walks with friends, the sound of the crackling snow on a winter day, and petting soft dogs at the park. She's the ray of Mexican sunshine in the team and does all the marketing and social media for Picado.

Production Kitchen Chef

Anita, as she's affectionately known to us, is the duracell bunny of our kitchen team; whether is applying her legendary chopping skills in the kitchen, or showing us all how to dance 'la quebradita' at the staff Christmas party, Ana NEVER tires! Hailing from the beautiful estate of Tabasco in Mexico, she has a degree in Gastronomy from UTTAB in her native Villahermosa. Ana has a deep love for Mexican food and loves working with chocolate and pastries. She's a problem solver and her boundless energy keeps us all young and busy. She's everyone's little sister at Picado and a super talented chef.

Head Baker

Born in Estado de Mexico, Diana found in gastronomy a way to express culture, memory and connection. She has a Gastronomy Degree from the prestigious Universidad del Claustro de Sor Juana, where she cemented her passion for food and the stories each ingredient carries. She's also passionate about Mexican folk dance and she collaborates with different Mexican dance groups. She moved to Dublin in 2024 to explore the flavours and culture of Ireland and has found in Picado a way to share her love for Mexican gastronomy and the value of family, which remains her biggest inspiration. Diana has a strong professional baking background in Mexico, where she worked in some of the biggest bakeries in the country.

Cooking School Chef

Miguel is originally from the beautiful city of Puebla where his grandmother and his aunt show him the magic of cooking for family and loved ones. He has a Degree in Culinary Arts from Benemerita Universitaria Autonoma de Puebla (BUAP) and has worked in professional kitchens in Mexico and the US. Miguel believes good food starts with respect for ingredients and attention to detail. He loves travelling and trying new foods and flavours. He recently moved to Ireland and is very excited about this new chapter of his life in Europe. Miguel joined the Picado kitchen team and we are already in love with his friendliness, his endless energy and his music taste!

Warehouse Operative

Liam grew up right here in Dublin and is currently working on getting a Business Degree from UCD. In his free time, between cycling to and from the warehouse and college, Liam frequently finds himself either playing or watching sports, in particular football and rugby. Although Liam is one of our newest members of staff, his days at Picado range back to his childhood days, visiting Lily and Alan at their market stall in Glasnevin way back when they first opened the business. While Liam's Spanish skills may be lacking a little, he enjoys teaching Juan Pablo, the Warehouse & Logistics Manager for Picado, Irish slang and sayings!

Retail Assistant

Abbie is Irish, has lived in Dublin all her life and is currently studying Social Work at Trinity College. She has a passion for helping others and supporting the community. Alongside her studies, she enjoys being part of the vibrant team here at Picado, with her lovely, friendly nature, she creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere for our customers at the Portobello Shop during weekends; she's always ready to greet them with a smile! Despite having zero Mexican connections, she LOOVES spicy food, specially Lily's fruity salsa macha, and has been avidly learning about Mexican food since she began working with us! Her bubbly personality makes an absolute joy to work with her. A super smart cookie and one of the youngest members of the team, everyone adores her.

Kitchen Assistant

Rubi is originally from Puebla. She studied Law because she's interested in justice and how societies create systems that allow people to live together fairly. Her passion for learning eventually led her beyond the classroom and she decided to move to Dublin to study English - she sees her language studies as a bridge to connect with people from different cultures and a way to broaden her perspective of the world. She believes every place she visits and every person she meets helps her see life from a new perspective. Outside of her work at Picado, she enjoys travelling, staying active and embracing new challenges. Being part of Picado allows her to share a piece of Mexican culture while connecting with people through authentic food and hospitality.