Leonor Espinosa, one of the most famous culinary figures in Colombia, has been chosen as the best chef in the world of 2022 by the organisation The World's 50 Best Restaurants. An award that adds to many others she has received throughout her career for her contribution to the industry.

Although she never studied to be a chef, Leonor Espinosa wanted to satisfy her creative spirit through gastronomy, and she has been at the forefront of innovation in the gastronomic industry for 15 years. In her restaurant Leo, in Bogotá, she has forged a unique, cerebral and profound cuisine that sets her apart from other contemporaries, while at the same time seeks to use gastronomy as a tool for socio-economic development.

In addition, Leonor owns a foundation named Funleo that has contributed to recovering the ancestral food knowledge and culinary techniques of indigenous and Afro-Colombian peoples. This is why she was already recognized as the best cook in Latin America in 2017. 

The new award comes at a time when the Colombian, after reimagining her restaurant, has moved Leo to the Chapinero neighbourhood in Bogotá. In the new premises, Espinosa has prepared a tasting menu using only ingredients of national origin. The dining experience is inspired by her 'Cycle-Biome' concept, which focuses on the country's varied ecosystems and explores ways to use new species in the kitchen.

In this way, Leo has valued foods that have often gone unnoticed in the Caribbean country's haute cuisine, and she has done so by renouncing intermediaries and negotiating directly with the producer. This has helped to significantly improve the quality of life of these people who live on the fringes of large markets.

"Leonor Espinosa has become one of the most emblematic Latin American chefs of her generation and defends her country's biodiversity and its cultural diversity like no other. She is a self-taught chef who combines scientific research with culinary innovation and continues to seek new knowledge while educating others. We are delighted to be able to recognize her incredible work with this important award," said William Drew, Chief Content Officer of The World's 50 Best Restaurants.