If there is one chef who embodies the rise of Mexico City’s food scene over the past 15 years, it’s Elena Reygadas, who has soared to prominence worldwide since opening Rosetta in the city’s Roma neighborhood in 2010.
Rosetta instantly captured everything about what elevated Mexican food is about: it’s inviting, creative, and employs the best seasonal ingredients. Reygadas, who studied English literature and was trained in French cooking in New York and Italian cooking in London, went on to open world-class bakery La Panadería, and more acclaimed restaurants across the city, including Lardo, Café Nin, and Bella Aurora.
Rosetta landed on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2022, so it should have surprised no one when that organization behind the ranking crowned Reygadas as the “World’s Best Female Chef” in 2023. Reygadas chatted with Penta about the honor, her scholarship program, and the recipe she’s most excited about.
Penta: How did you find out you’d been named the world’s best female chef?
Elena Reygadas: I received a call from The World’s 50 Best’s team, telling me I had been voted by more than 1,000 colleagues and industry experts as [2023]’s World’s Best Female Chef. This was something I never expected; I felt immensely grateful and a great joy.
Penda: How have things changed since then? Has the title affected anything about how you approach your work?
Elena Reygadas: This is a recognition to the entire team I’ve been working with for many years; the enthusiasm that came with it has been present in our day-to-day, it’s encouraged us to keep doing things better every day.
Penda: Tell us about why you decided to create a scholarship program for the next generation of female chefs in Mexico.
Elena Reygadas: Being a mother and a chef helped me realize there is still so much to be done in terms of gender inequality, not only in this industry, but in society as a whole. This is one of the reasons I launched the Elena Reygadas scholarship in 2021, an initiative to promote and strengthen female leadership in the industry. I feel an enormous responsibility to advocate for the next generation of young women.
Women chefs in Mexico are indeed shining now, and it’s wonderful to see their hard work and dedication being recognized. I believe this is due to a combination of factors, including the growing interest in Mexican cuisine globally, the increasing visibility of women in culinary media, and the efforts of organizations and initiatives that promote gender equality in the kitchen.
This recognition is significant not only for individual women chefs but also for Mexico as a whole. It showcases the country’s rich cultural heritage and its contributions to the world of food. Moreover, it highlights the importance of diversity and inclusion in the culinary industry, encouraging other women to pursue their passions in cooking.
The challenges faced by women chefs in Mexico are still numerous, including stereotypes, biases, and limited opportunities for advancement. However, with continued support and recognition, I’m hopeful that these barriers will gradually disappear, allowing more women to thrive in the kitchen and share their unique perspectives and talents with the world.
In terms of what this means for the country, it’s a reflection of Mexico’s growing confidence in its cultural identity and its ability to export its culinary expertise globally. It also underscores the importance of preserving traditional cooking methods and ingredients while innovating and evolving as a nation.
I completely agree that things must change, and I believe that recognizing the essential roles women have played in Mexican gastronomy is crucial for this shift. By acknowledging their contributions, we can create a more inclusive and equitable culinary landscape that celebrates the diversity of Mexico’s food culture.
Source: Barrons
