Behind the Wear | Robin Beltran

Professional Chef, Actress, Model & Lifestyle Coach

This month, we had the pleasure of interviewing 4 inspiring & creative women to get a peek into how they manage being super busy #bossbabes in today's crazy, fast-paced, social-media-obsessed society. Our diverse panel consisted of a publicist, a journalist, an actor, and a designer, and it was insightful to get the details on their unique lives, personal style, and their “go-to” power outfit. Read on to hear from Robin, professional vegan chef, model, actress and lifestyle coach...

W&W: How did you get your start?

Robin: It all started with a bullet. My husband was nearly killed in an attempted murder. As a result of him getting shot in the stomach, his intestines could no longer handle processed meats. So, we started doing yoga and transitioned to veganism, and only a year later, my husband was in better health than he was before the shooting! Realizing this, I started cooking for friends and family. Everyone liked my cooking, and they started telling me to write the recipes down. And, I was like, for what?!

Living a vegan lifestyle has also healed me from depression and anxiety. Communities of color are the ones really suffering from these conditions, living a vegan lifestyle can help cure these ailments, as it did for me. In addition to improving my mental condition, I slimmed down from a size 10 to a size 2.

I transitioned my passion for veganism into a career and business, and am now a chef for professional athletes and Olympians.

W&W: What fuels your passion for what you do, what gets you out of bed every day?

Robin: Commitment holds me accountable. I don’t want to embarrass my mom or grandmother, as I owe it all to the women who have come before me. They did the hard work, so I have it 10 times easier. I have to be great for all the women I represent. I have the torch now, I have to do something with it. My daughter is an inspiration. What type of woman will she be if I’m not great?

The reason I’m thriving now is my lifestyle; I’m really good to myself. I take the time to use essential oils, apply face masks once a week and surround myself with good food and people. I’m very protective of the people I surround myself with. Bad-asses only!

"The word 'can't' doesn't fit in our vocabulary. Most don't believe me or say I'm too ambitious."

People ask me, "Aren’t you tired? Don’t you miss your kids?" And I say to that, don’t limit me based on your limitations. I’m a former athlete, I played college volleyball and ran track in Eastern Europe and Prague. This is my new sport, and I’m competitive.

W&W: What was your biggest failure professionally? What lessons did you learn, and how did you apply them in future situations?

Robin: I previously owned a marketing agency. It lasted all of 3 months, but I don't consider it a failure because it ended up being purposeful and meaningful. I found my husband running that company!

W&W: You're free on a lazy Sunday. Where are you going for brunch?

Robin: I'm likely making brunch at home, I don’t really go to restaurants. They usually don’t add enough flavor and spice, unless you go to one with a strong cultural identity. What am I making? Sausage and grits, with sauteed peppers and onions. Sometimes waffles, other times breakfast tacos with chorizo and potatoes. My husband is half-Mexican, so we eat foods with lots of Mexican influence, that I then remix to make vegan. On a lazy Sunday, you can find me headed to HEB or watching Food Network, but Sundays are mainly for family time if I'm able to stay home.

W&W: When you're not being a #boss, what are your guilty pleasures?

Robin: Right now, wishing for the impeachment of Donald Trump! The reason I started the company was to help black and brown people live better lives, and I feel that Donald Trump is the antithesis of that. I've never been involved in politics, have never been interested in politics, but now I’d love to be on Capitol Hill talking about food regulations.

Robin is ready for the big screen in our Like a Boss dress

W&W: Do you have any events or projects coming up you want to shout out?

Robin: I have two films coming out soon!

Evelyn x Evelyn, premiering April 13th, was written and directed by Eric Pumphrey. The film is a period piece taking place in the 1950’s, and it's about a woman who suffers from the loss of her 2 year old child.  Natalie Paul is the lead actress, and she currently has a show on TNT and has also been on HBO's Boardwalk Empire and The Deuce. Most of the women on set were from Houston, Dallas, and Austin, with the film being shot in Third Ward.

The second film, Uncomfortable Woman, I play the lead character, Dylan. The short film centers around a 33-year-old black woman, whose mother has just died and is abandoned by her fiancé at the same time! Dylan is then forced to go back home and deal with the aftermath of her mother's passing. She believes that bad things come in threes, and is now nervously waiting for the third bad thing to happen. The director, Meghan Ross, is a comedy writer from New Jersey and does an amazing job with the film.

I also have a partnership with Sonya Richards Ross' new venture: MommiNation. MommiNation is a collective of 25 mothers coming together to share their experiences, resources, and expertise with other mothers. I'll be a contributing food expert. 

Lastly, I’m working with a New York Times photographer to create images that tell food stories from a mother’s perspective. You don't want to miss it!

W&W: What drew you to the W&W piece you selected for our Portrait Series?

Robin: Two things: The first thing that drew me to the dress I selected is that it's so comfy on top! Boobs and posture ALWAYS work! Wearing a strapless bra is totally inconvenient. I’ve had two kids, and the girls don’t sit where they used to. So, I get a bra with two straps, and then I stick my shoulders out. Works like a charm! The second thing that drew me to the dress: I love wearing anything that lets me show off my sexy legs! This dress does an amazing job flattering my favorite body parts.

I like a simple palette I can play up with accessories and shoes, and I love feeling girly, sexy and fun. You can easily add a white button-up underneath this dress to make it more business-like, and paired with a fun red lip, I call it professional play-play!

 Shop Robin's look and more in the Behind the Wear Collection.