Top Colombian chef Leonor Espinosa stands out for her groundbreaking culinary work and has now won 'The World's 50 Best Female Chef Award'.
First she won the accolade of 'Latin America's Best Female Chef' in 2017. Now Leonor Espinosa has beaten out the rest of the world, clinching 'The World's Best Female Chef Award'. The awards are given out by The World's 50 Best Restaurants, part of the 50 Best franchise.
Leonor Espinosa has been shaping Colombia's gastronomy for the past 15 years. The self-taught chef, who studied economics and fine arts, opened the restaurant Leo in Bogotá in 2007, helping to bring about a renaissance in Colombian cuisine. Since then, she has focused on local products and the diverse culinary heritage of the region. She relocated and reimagined her flagship restaurant last year, propelling it to 46th on the list of The World's 50 Best Restaurants for 2021.
Espinosa's cooking stands out in particular for revealing ancestral Colombian techniques, promoting the country's culinary heritage. Together with her daughter Laura Hernández-Espinosa, she founded the non-profit Funleo, which aims to reclaim and promote the culinary traditions of rural and ethnic communities.
"Leonor Espinosa has become one of the most iconic Latin American chefs of her generation, championing both Colombia's biodiversity and its cultural diversity like no other. We're thrilled to be able to recognise her incredible work," William Drew from The World's 50 Best Restaurants said in a press release.
