Best Female Chef

In an industry defined by resilience, few stories embody the word better than that of Isabella Chiriboga. At a time when most restaurants were shuttering, she was building. In the middle of the pandemic, Chiriboga launched Pez Bela, first as a modest delivery service offering a handful of refined ceviches. Her brand soon became one of Quito’s most exciting seafood restaurants, proof that belief in oneself can be the strongest ingredient.

Her love affair with food began long before. As a child, she followed her grandmother through the kitchens of a hotel in Tonsupa, Esmeraldas, fascinated by the smells and textures that made other children recoil. While others shied away from raw fish, she leaned in, captivated. From as early as she can remember, she knew she didn’t just want to work in a restaurant—she wanted to work with fish.

At first, she considered management, but quickly realized her calling wasn’t behind an office desk. She belonged in the kitchen: hands deep in ingredients, inventing, creating. Today, she has both: the artistry of a chef and the discipline of an entrepreneur, managing her restaurant while remaining present at every station—from the kitchen line to the cash register to the dining room floor.

In 2011, Chiriboga set her sights on Peru, just as its culinary scene was reaching global acclaim. At Le Cordon Bleu Lima, she became both student and witness to a revolution, working in some of the city’s best kitchens and absorbing the spirit of innovation that defined Peruvian cuisine’s rise. Yet she never lost sight of her own identity. She had a knack, a gift for creating dishes that left diners craving more, and she knew she wanted to bring that back home.

Pez Bela is her tribute to the sea, and seafood is its only language. Ceviche is, of course, central—but Chiriboga approaches it with wit and creativity. In the eternal Ecuador–Peru rivalry over ceviche’s true origin, she positions herself in the middle, building bridges with playful, novel creations. Tuna ceviche with crispy quinoa and coconut milk. Salmon ceviche with taxo, mango, and seaweed. Combinations so obvious in hindsight one wonders why no one thought of them before.

Her inventiveness, confidence, and uncompromising palate have made Isabella Chiriboga not only one of Ecuador’s brightest culinary stars, but also a chef who has proven that passion and perseverance can transform challenge into triumph.