GLOBAL GASTRONOMY AWARD 2017

The Global Gastronomy Award is a yearly prize awarded to a chef of crucial importance to the restaurant world whose work has deeply impacted how we think about food, gastronomy and hospitality.

Mexican food is a universe in itself, spanning a vast diversity of regional produce, ingredients and traditions, some pre-Columbian. Yet, sophistication is not what first comes to mind when imagining Mexican food, but rather frozen Margaritas, nachos and guacamole, which may be more Tex-Mex than authentic Mexican.

Enrique Olvera is about to change all that. He successively redefines and elevates this ancient and rustic cooking into contemporary gastronomy, with full respect for its roots and unique qualities. With a little tweaking from the inspired hands of Chef Olvera the legacy of Mexican cooking plays out in new and sometimes unexpected ways at his restaurants, especially at Pujol in Mexico City. Based on his stock of native ingredients like heirloom corn, wild herbs and greens, rare endemic seeds, nuts, chillies, and indeed insects like maguey worms and flying chicatana ants, he is not only moving Mexican cuisine forward, but expanding our notion of food itself.