Faces of Na’atik: Saly and Punto Blanco

Na’atik is proud to announce another local partnership with an expert baker and chef–Saly! Saly owns and operates Punto Blanco Cafeteria, a town favorite in Carrillo for omelet and chilaquile breakfasts, pasta and seafood dinners, sweet treats, and much more. In the last few months, Na’atik and Punto Blanco have united under the name Punto Na’atik, hosting community events where both local people and Na’atik’s international Spanish and Maya students connect, play, learn, and eat together. Recently, we sat down with Saly to learn more about her history in the gastronomy field, the inner workings of Punto Blanco, and how our community partnership has and will continue to positively impact Felipe Carrillo Puerto. 

Saly has an extensive background in gastronomy, both working for and managing restaurants of various cuisine types both regionally in the Yucatan Peninsula and more broadly across Mexico. Inspired by her love for creating in the kitchen from a young age, Saly began her academic and professional journey studying gastronomy at the university level. As a part of her studies, Saly completed a portion of her practical hours as a chef in Merida at Kuuk, a restaurant famous for blending ancient Maya and modern Mexican flavors into unforgettable dishes. Later, Saly finished her practical hours working at a buffet in a hotel in the Riviera Maya where she began working in the cold kitchen preparing things like salads, but quickly advanced to preparing more complicated hot dishes. For her hard work and natural talent, she was immediately hired to work across multiple restaurants from French Gourmet to Steak Houses in the Riviera Maya hotel full time after completing her studies. There, she advanced to managing roles where she honed her leadership and delegation skills, yet decided to change scenes again in order to prioritize her well-being as that position became too demanding. Next, she made her way to Mexico City where she worked for renowned chef Edgar Nuneuz in one of Latin America’s top rated restaurants. And while she enjoyed her time both studying and working in Mexico City, she ultimately decided to return to Felipe Carrillo Puerto as she encountered problems with insufficient pay while there. 

Upon returning to Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Saly began working at Mozzafiato, a local restaurant and cafe in the town center. She even began to plan the opening of her own restaurant in town, yet soon after she returned in 2020, the pandemic had made its way to Carrillo Puerto, closing restaurants almost instantly. Despite this setback, Saly kept creating in her kitchen and began selling desserts such as cakes from her home to local community members with the help of her Facebook Page. As demand for her products grew, so did her online business to the extent that it needed a name. Inspired by her sister’s business name, Studio Blanco, Saly decided upon Punto Blanco as it conjures up an image of a clean and bright place to purchase an assortment of community favorites such as cakes, cookies, and breads. Slowly, she began to expand her menu as more and more people found the magic of Punto Blanco desserts. 

Shortly after her online business took off, her cousin returned from Merida and suggested that he and Saly open a restaurant together. Yet, at the time Saly’s daughter was very young and so she declined the invitation. However, a few years later when the pandemic had subsided and she was more established in her role as a mom, she decided she had the time and energy to open a cafe where she would sell her desserts and coffee, but nothing more (she thought). Near the town center, she and her cousin converted her grandmother’s old house into a cafe with indoor and outdoor seating and officially opened in December of 2024. Within three weeks, it was clear that the community wanted more than just a bakery from Saly–they wanted a full service restaurant. Responding to this feedback, Saly prepared a small menu of breakfasts including omelets and chilaquiles and a dinner menu of assorted pastas and seafood dishes mainly featuring salmon. And while Punto Blanco grew rapidly, Saly was intent on keeping the menu small yet full of variety and creativity with the local ingredients. Now Punto Blanco is a staple in Felipe Carrillo Puerto, known for having some of the best pastas and frappes in town. 

As Saly looks toward the future of Punto Blanco, she is excited about the ways in which our Punto Na’atik partnership supports her goals. She envisions more than a typical cafe–instead, she hopes to transform her restaurant into a community gathering place where people of all ages feel welcome and come to relax while enjoying savory dishes and sweet treats together.  As such, when Saly learned the work of Na’atik goes far beyond simply teaching English and focuses on creating meaningful intercultural connections between people from diverse backgrounds, both organizations knew there was big potential for effective collaboration. Since coming together, Punto Na’atik has hosted a variety of events such as traditional Mexican game nights like Lotería and Basta and holiday events like Easter egg painting. In addition to bigger crowds than expected, the events have been the perfect space in which our community learns about one another while conversing freely in both Spanish and English. Going forward, Saly and Na’atik members are actively dreaming up new and exciting ways we can continue to welcome locals and foreign visitors in Felipe Carrillo Puerto. From everyday cooking classes, fair games, and karaoke nights to special holiday celebrations for important days like Dia de los Muertos, our mission centers around what we can do for our community. 

We’re proud to grow through partnerships that reflect our core values: sustainability, community, and cultural respect. These local collaborations aren’t just about working together — they’re about building something lasting, rooted in the people and land of Felipe Carrillo Puerto. The best way you can support this vision is by joining one of our Spanish or Maya immersion courses. Not only will you gain meaningful language skills and cultural insight, but you’ll also stay with a local homestay family, directly contributing to the local economy and a more sustainable future.