Top Chef Mexico: the best chefs in the country compete against each other

Top Chef Mexico is not just a TV show. It is a tough competition that bring out the best of Mexican cuisine by putting the most talented chefs in our country up against each other.

For as long as it’s been running, Top Chef Mexico has been a true parade of flavors and spectacular presentations. With a good mix of young talent and established chefs, the program has served its purpose of showcasing the best of our current gastronomic scene.

What is an episode of Top Chef Mexico like?

The show’s structure is set around challenges that the chefs must overcome, tests in which they are forced to leave their comfort zones and, at the same time, they have an opportunity to learn about new techniques and unknown culinary traditions.

Matteo Salas, of San Miguel de Allende’s Aperi, competed in the show’s first season. He said in an interview: "It is very important that chefs in Mexico become curious and dive into the artisanal side of our traditions, so that we can bring them to life and include them in our creative process".

The judges in Top Chef Mexico are responsible for evaluating the work of the participants and give them feedback. Ultimately, they decide who stays and who leaves the competition. Martha Ortiz, Aquiles Chavez, Mikel Alonso and Guillermo Gonzalez Beristain are the chefs who played the part during the most recent season.

Other key characters in the show are Juantxo Sánchez, who serves as a mentor for the contestants, and the actress Ana Claudia Talancón, who is the show’s presenter and host.

The winning chefs

The winner of the first season was Rodolfo Castellanos, owner of the restaurant Origen, in Oaxaca. Trained in San Francisco, this chef beat Eduardo Morali, executive chef of Eloise restaurant in México City, in the final episode.

In the second season, the title of Top Chef Mexico was won by Gabriel Rodriguez, native of Iztapalapa and chef of Maximo Bistrot. In a close finale, the apprentice of the famous chef Enrique Olvera defeated Ixchel Ornelas, cook and researcher specialized in Oaxacan cuisine.

During this season, the chefs enjoyed the comfort of City Express Hotels during their stay at Mexico City and Morelia. We are proud of being part of a project that brings forth the best cuisine in Mexico.