Mexico City chef Gabriela Ruiz Lugo has been voted the best chef in Mexico by the Mexican Gastronomic Council.
Chef Gaby is synaesthete and her favorite music creates flavors for her which lead to her award-winning cuisine.
Originally from Comalcalco, Tabasco, the 31-year-old says it is her home state and her family that have inspired her cooking: traditional ingredients found in the Mexican southeast like plantains, black beans and chocolate prepared with pre-Hispanic and Spanish influences.
Seven years ago Ruiz created Gourmet MX, a catering service she operated out of Villahermosa. Her first project then evolved into a restaurant that soon became a fixture in the region.
Later she moved to Mexico City where she opened her current restaurant, Carmela y Sal, in the Miguel Hidalgo borough.