Yesenia Iglesias and Ashton Muniz Photo by Ben Krantz Studio

Gladys, a true talent in the kitchen, was taken in to the quinta (an estate of sorts) in Havana by a schoolmate, Adria (Gisela Chípe), who ultimately inherits the home and becomes Gladys' employer–with all the class and wealth distinctions that come with that relationship. If it weren't for Gladys being Adria's servant, she says, they could have been friends.

After years of keeping the family well-fed, the action begins on New Year's Eve, 1958, as Gladys is busy preparing a feast for the celebration. To help serving the guests, Gladys has brought two of her cousins into the house, Elena (Georgina Morillo) and Julio (Ashton Muñiz). Gladys's husband, Carlos (Daniel Duque-Estrada), is the family's chauffeur, but he too is pressed into serving the dozens of guests who have assembled at the quinta for celebration.

If you are familiar with the history of the Cuban Revolution (even if only from watching the famous scene in The Godfather, Part 2, where–at another New Year's party in Havana–Michael Corleone kisses his brother Fredo, saying "I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart."), you know New Year's 1958 was the night Fidel Castro overthrew the government of Fulgencio Batista. So it will be no surprise when you see a panicked Adria flee her home, taking only a small bag (full of cash, we assume), escaping the advancing hordes of revolutionaries in her black mink coat.

As she is at the door, Carlos waiting to drive her to the airport, she extracts from Gladys a promise to keep the house safe for her return one day. "I could be happy if it wasn't for that bastard and his revolution," she says. But the revolution is at hand, and Carlos will soon get a wish expressed earlier: "I look at all this and wonder why it isn't mine."

Given that everyone seems to know something big is about to happen (at one point, Gladys says "I think tonight the world is going to turn inside out."), it's a bit foreshadowing to see Gladys continue to focus on preparing food for the well-to-do guests, while ignoring the changes that are clearly coming for her and her family.

Fast forward 12 years later, and Julio–who had indicated his sexuality early on by stating how he loved fashion, read Vogue, and wants to be a coiffeur–is more explicitly indicating his love for men through the earring and chains he wears, as well as a tight pair of white bell bottoms, earning the ire of Carlos, who has since become a minor functionary in the revolution. Julio begs Gladys to close the shutters, as Julio is under surveillance by the Cuban secret police. Act Two takes us even further into the future, and–despite all the bad news the future brings–Gladys, even when broken-hearted, manages to maintain her optimism.

For the first show of Berkeley Rep's 2026-27 season, the company once again proves why it has achieved its stellar position in Bay Area theatre. The set, designed by Tanya Orellana, is a magnificent rendition of a Spanish Colonial estate, with soaring heights, enormous wood shutters which partly conceal a courtyard filled with lush greenery, and tile work throughout the kitchen. The action that takes place in this space is elegantly directed by David Mendizábal, who also draws balanced portrayals from his cast.

Yesenia Iglesias absolutely owns the stage, just as a chef "owns" their kitchen and all that goes on there. Even when Carlos defies her (in ways both small and large), there is never any doubt who's really in charge of the house. Chípe is appropriately officious as Adria, but her transformation into a second character in act two is stunning–the two characters are family, and Chípe somehow finds a way to make the snooty Adria into an even less appealing Lourdes. Lourdes is so despicable I could almost hear the audience getting ready to hiss her.

Duque-Estrada wears his machismo like stripes on his sleeve, giving us a sense of male privilege that is–despite being subtle–sickening to behold. Morillo plays her two roles well, but really shines in act two as Rosa, displaying a character who is far more modern and aware than cousin Elena. Ashton Muñiz makes the most of his juicy, though relatively minor, role. When he delivers the line, "I though the revolution would include me," it's said with a sense of defeat and disappointment that threatens to squeeze the life out of your heart.

The Cook presents a view of the Cuban Revolution that is intensely human, ignoring the fighting and focusing instead on its effects on both the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. Watching as Gladys keeps her vow while everything changes around her makes for a thrilling–and touching–evening of theatre.

The Cook runs through October 11, 2026, at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Peet's Theatre, 2025 Addison Street, Berkeley CA. Shows are Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7:00pm, Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00p.m. and Saturdays at 7:30p.m., with matinees Saturdays and Saturdays at 2:00p.m. Show times vary on certain dates. Tickets are $25-$137. For tickets and information, please visit www.berkeleyrep.org or call 510-647-2949.