Food & Wine Best New Chef Anaisa Guevara at Pueblo Bonito Resorts

Recently while staying at the luxury adults-only Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Resort & Spa in Los Cabos, Mexico, I had the opportunity to meet Executive Chef Anaisa Guevara. This 33 year old, female chef oversees two Pueblo Bonito Resorts restaurants – LaFrida at Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach and Peninsula Pueblo Bonito Pacifica.

Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Resort & Spa. Photo Jill Weinlein

Food & Wine in Spanish announced LaFrida’s Chef Anaisa Guevara is on the “Best New Chefs in Mexico” 2024 list. This news will be featured in the upcoming September issue, showcasing the prestigious list of chefs. This list was created to recognize and support new talent, by a select group of chefs, journalists, entrepreneurs, and the editorial team at the magazine.

Chef Anaisa G . Photo by Pueblo Bonito Resorts

I learned Chef Anaisa grew up in Tijuana, Mexico and enjoyed watching and cooking with her grandmother. “I’m not the type of chef who says that since childhood I was curious about cooking,” said Guevara. Instead she pursued a career in Interior Design first, before her career in culinary arts. “My grandmother was an excellent cook. One day in college I became obsessed with studying cooking,” said Guevara. “By the way, my mother hates cooking. She was very upset with I made my decision, but she told me that whatever I decided to do, I had to be the best at it.”

LaFrida Restaurant. Photo courtesy of Pueblo Bonito Resorts

This new prestigious recognition highlights Guevara’s exceptional talent and culinary prowess, elevating LaFrida’s status as a premier dining destination in Los Cabos. With a theme honoring the famed Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, this stunning restaurant has also been awarded a AAA Four Diamond restaurant.

Her impressive resume includes working at the Michelin three-star restaurant Restaurant Arzak in San Sebastian, Spain, a legendary family-owned dining venue. “At Arzak, in the Basque region, I learned about the area’s culinary traditions, the more than 500 spices in use, and the influence of flavors drawn from Spain, France, Portugal, Italy and Africa,” said Guevara in a recent interview.

This talented chef also arrived in Southern California to work at Addison in The Fairmont Grand Del Mar. It was the first and only three-star Michelin restaurant in San Diego. These experiences, coupled with her deep-rooted passion for Mexican cuisine has shaped her distinctive approach in the kitchen.

Photo courtesy of Pueblo Bonito Resorts

At LaFrida, Chef Anaisa said she infuses a distinct style of Mexican, Oaxacan, and French techniques and flavors in the menu. She uses fresh, regional ingredients and time-honored cooking techniques, like the nixtamalization process for her corn tortillas. The word nixtamal comes from the word nextli (ashes) and tamalli (corn dough). This preparation has been handed down for centuries in Central America. Corn is cooked in water with ash or lime in a large pot over a fire, then the maize is grinded with a stone metate, and dough is formed to make tortillas, tamales and gorditas. This process creates a superior consistency, pleasing texture and is more nutritious than mass produced maize items. “I can tell you that at LaFrida, we focus 100% on respecting Mexican flavors,” she says. “These same flavors have been recognized by UNESCO, which has named traditional Mexican cuisine an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. At LaFrida, you can find everything from a dish with French techniques and Mexican flavors to a dish that was prepared by our ancestors thousands of years ago.”

Peninsula Restaurant. Photo courtesy of Pueblo Bonito Pacifica.

After working in the kitchen in LaFrida for two years, she was promoted to also become the Executive Chef at Peninsula, a fine dining restaurant at Pueblo Bonito Pacifica.

Guevara’s recognition as one of Mexico’s best new chefs is a testament to her hard work and dedication. Her talent was recently showcased during the “Chef Meets México” event, during which she collaborated with renowned Michelin-starred chefs Tatsuya Noda and Yoshikazu Yanome to create a truly unforgettable culinary experience for guests.

When I asked Chef Anaisa if she has received a Michelin star at LaFrida or Peninsula, she said no. “These restaurants are located in the exclusive Pueblo Bonito Resorts. They aren’t on OpenTable, so the public and Michelin food critics can’t make a reservation.

Chef Anaisa Guevara with travel writers Dave McKibben and Jill Weinlein

Her goal is to earn a Michelin star, and she hopes she will when she opens the new restaurant at the soon to open Pueblo Bonito Vantage San Miguel de Allende. “It’s scheduled to open in December 2024,” said Chef Anaisa.

Michelin inspectors are welcome to visit her at this Pueblo Bonito Resort, while she is at the helm of the kitchen. I hope this Michelin deserving chef’s dream does comes true in 2025.