Leonor Espinosa, the cook who has defended the culinary value of Colombian biodiversity, has been chosen as the best female chef in the world by The World's 50 Best Restaurants.
Leo, as everyone knows her, will officially receive the award on August 18 at the ceremony that recognizes the best restaurants in the world, in London.
Espinosa had already been recognized as the best cook in Latin America in 2017. Her Leo Cocina y Cava restaurant, one of the most prestigious in Colombia, has also featured prominently on the famous list, and her Funleo foundation received the Basque Culinary Award that same year. World Prize.
Leonor Espinosa's mission “goes far beyond applying haute cuisine techniques to Colombian ingredients.
The chef's 'cycle-biome' philosophy uses gastronomy as a boost for the social and economic development of indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities”, points out the profile on the official website of 50 Best announcing the recognition.
Funleo, values the organization, empowers marginalized farmers by putting in the foreground products such as Santanderean 'hormigas culonas', Amazonian mojojoy larvae or fish from the pirarucú river.
The cultural diversity of Colombia is reflected in the enormous amount of preparations, techniques and ingredients found in each of the corners that make up a "country of a thousand kitchens", Leo reflects in the statements collected by the organization.
“Without a doubt, cooking is a political act that embraces food production, and even more so when factors such as climate change, deforestation, improper exploitation of natural resources, war and monopolies, among others, affect sovereignty and security. food, as well as local consumption.
In this way, gastronomy can contribute to reducing existing economic and social conflicts”, he points out.