Best New Chefs: Celebrating Gastronomy Across Latin America

The Best New Chefs initiative from Food & Wine en español reveals the emerging talent reshaping the culinary landscape across Latin America — celebrating the diversity and creativity that define each region.

In a region as diverse and vital as Latin America, gastronomy is far more than a collection of recipes — it is a genuine celebration of identity, culture, and the creativity of its peoples. The Best New Chefs initiative sets out to offer a compelling portrait of the emerging talent redefining tables and kitchens throughout the region. It shines a light on a new generation of cooks and serves, equally, as an invitation to explore the culinary riches stretching from the Andean valleys to the Caribbean coasts, through tropical rainforests and desert landscapes alike.

The strength of Best New Chefs lies in its collaborative approach. Editorial teams in Central America, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Peru, and Chile have contributed firsthand perspectives, ensuring that every selection is authentic and representative of each country’s local culinary identity. This approach does more than honor a chef’s technical ability — it illuminates how each dish carries a story, a legacy, and an unbreakable connection to its roots.

A Platform for the Young Talent Transforming the Kitchen

The selection process has been exacting, guided by a curatorial framework that evaluates innovation, sustainability, future trajectory, and technical and academic grounding. The social impact that each chef and their concept can generate within their community is also weighed with care. Specialist consultants have ensured that the list is not merely a roster of names, but a genuine portrait of the gastronomic diversity and richness found across the region.

The unveiling of this list is, in itself, an anthology of flavors: a journey that also draws back the curtain on culinary experiences in Spain, marking a new destination for tomorrow’s gourmands. Best New Chefs becomes, in this way, something far greater than a list — it is a window onto the future of gastronomy, an invitation to discover the young talent raising the standard of the culinary arts in Mexico and well beyond.

What lies ahead is genuinely promising. As the world continues to turn its gaze toward these gastronomic destinations, the stories of those who emerge with pride from their origins will be told with increasing fervor. Each of these chefs is writing their own chapter in the rich culinary history of their country — and from Food & Wine en español, the commitment is to keep celebrating their achievements and sharing the secrets behind their success.