Top 10 Latin Chefs

From Spain to Argentina to Mexico, we’ve found the globe’s hottest Latin chefs!

1. Julian Medina of Mexico City learned most of what he knows from his father and grandfather, as well as his studies at prestigious culinary schools in Mexico and New York City. With his knowledge of French cuisine and his background of Mexican flavor, Medina certainly creates works of art. He currently manages his own Mexican restaurant, Zacolo, on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
2. Elena Reygadas of Mexico City was named “Latin America’s Best Female Chef” in 2014. She trained at the French Culinary Institute of New York. Her love of breads comes from her Italian influences, but she still sticks to her Mexican roots. She now owns a restaurant, Rosetta, in Mexico City.
3. José Enrique of Puerto Rico was named one of Food and Wine’s “Best New Chefs” in 2013. He originally wanted to be a lawyer, but ended up studying at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. His restaurant in San Juan, Puerto Rico offers foods that are heavily Caribbean-based because he tried to stick to the good old basics.
4. Roberta Sudbrack of Brazil is self-taught and admires sticking to tradition. Her restaurant in Rio, Brazil won 10^th place in “Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants” in 2014.
5. Germán Martitegui of Argentina now owns the restaurant, Olsen, in Buenos Aires and adds a bit of Scandinavian flair to his Latin taste.
6. Rodolfo Guzman from Chilé cooks with what his land can offer him. He now owns a restaurant named Boragó in Santiago, Chile, which was ranked number 8 on “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants: Latin America” list.
7. Virgilio Martinez of Peru landed the number 50 spot on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants for his restaurant Central Restaurante in Lima, Peru. He focuses on his homeland’s most ancient ingredients in order to keep his culture alive.
8. Lorena Garcia of Venezuela originally planned to be a lawyer, like José Enrique, but decided to follow her heart and pursue cooking. She has since opened numerous restaurants and became a TV personality, as she aspires to find a healthier take on her Venezuelan cuisine.
9. José Garces of Chicago is of Ecuadorian heritage. He studied at Kendall College in Chicago and now owns a total of seven restaurants across the United States. He also won the 2009 James Beard Award for “Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic.”
10. José Andrés of Spain owns many reputable restaurants and due to his culinary skills, was named one of “The World’s 100 Most Influential People” (Time Magazine) in 2014. This is just one of his many awards. His cooking focuses mainly on tapas, or small plate dishes.

The list of amazing Latin chefs goes on and on. Our top 10 chefs’ dishes make our mouths water and our hearts yearn for trips abroad to experience Latin cultures firsthand.