The chef-owner of Leo in Bogotá, Espinosa was recognised as Latin America’s Best Female Chef in 2017.
A key figure in Colombia’s food renaissance, Espinosa relocated and reimagined her flagship restaurant last year in the upmarket Chapinero district of Bogotá.
At the new venue, Espinosa has crafted a tasting menu with 100% of the ingredients sourced within the country and each dish ‘forming part of a broader Colombian food narrative’.
The gastronomic experience is inspired by Espinosa’s ‘Ciclo-Bioma’ concept, which focuses on the country’s varied ecosystems and explores the ways new species can be utilised in the kitchen.
“I receive this award with great joy because now my voice can be heard a little more, which will allow me to continue basing gastronomy as a prevailing instrument in the generation of socioeconomic well-being, especially in developing countries,” she says.
“Leonor Espinosa has become one of the most iconic Latin American chefs of her generation, championing both her country’s biodiversity and its cultural diversity like no other,” says William Drew, director of content for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.”
Additional special pre-announced awards will be revealed between now and July, as part of the lead-up to The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022.
An on-the-ground event programme will then culminate in this year’s awards ceremony, to be held at Old Billingsgate market in the City of London on Monday 18 July.