{"id":18730,"date":"2025-10-01T14:01:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-01T14:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/month-chef-ana-cecilia-avalos-reyes"},"modified":"2025-10-01T14:01:00","modified_gmt":"2025-10-01T14:01:00","slug":"month-chef-ana-cecilia-avalos-reyes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/month-chef-ana-cecilia-avalos-reyes","title":{"rendered":"Chef of the Month: Ana Cecilia \u00c1valos Reyes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Few chefs thread science, heritage, and coast-to-table ease like Ana Cecilia \u00c1valos Reyes. A private chef based in Punta Mita, she brings more than nine years of experience to bespoke dinners across Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta, serving towns like Sayulita, San Pancho, Bucer\u00edas, and Nuevo Nayarit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her background spans Gastronomy studies at ICUM and Food Design Thinking at Universidad An\u00e1huac, with training in molecular and techno-emotional cuisine, mixology, and dietary needs. She has explored Mexican herbalism, nutrition, plating, and even the science of well-being, which shows up in the way she builds menus and moments. Book her for intimate dinners, family brunches, weddings, or retreats, and expect seasonal produce, local seafood, and a lot of soul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-white ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">\u00cdndice<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69f9665ee8aa6\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #182427;color:#182427\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #182427;color:#182427\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69f9665ee8aa6\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/month-chef-ana-cecilia-avalos-reyes\/#interview_with_chef_ana_cecilia_avalos_reyes\" >Interview with Chef Ana Cecilia \u00c1valos Reyes<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/month-chef-ana-cecilia-avalos-reyes\/#what_inspired_you_to_become_a_chef\" >What inspired you to become a chef?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/month-chef-ana-cecilia-avalos-reyes\/#what_is_your_signature_dish_the_one_that_always_impresses\" >What is your signature dish, the one that always impresses?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/month-chef-ana-cecilia-avalos-reyes\/#if_you_could_cook_for_anyone_living_or_not_who_would_it_be_and_why\" >If you could cook for anyone, living or not, who would it be and why?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/month-chef-ana-cecilia-avalos-reyes\/#what_is_the_most_unusual_or_curious_ingredient_youve_worked_with\" >What is the most unusual or curious ingredient you\u2019ve worked with?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/month-chef-ana-cecilia-avalos-reyes\/#what_kitchen_tool_cant_you_live_without\" >What kitchen tool can\u2019t you live without?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/month-chef-ana-cecilia-avalos-reyes\/#after_a_long_service_what_is_your_favorite_comfort_food\" >After a long service, what is your favorite comfort food?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/month-chef-ana-cecilia-avalos-reyes\/#do_you_have_a_philosophy_or_motto_you_follow_in_the_kitchen\" >Do you have a philosophy or motto you follow in the kitchen?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/month-chef-ana-cecilia-avalos-reyes\/#what_food_trend_do_you_secretly_love_or_openly_dislike\" >What food trend do you secretly love, or openly dislike?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/month-chef-ana-cecilia-avalos-reyes\/#if_you_were_not_a_chef_what_would_you_do\" >If you were not a chef, what would you do?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/month-chef-ana-cecilia-avalos-reyes\/#what_would_your_dream_menu_be_for_a_perfect_dinner_start_to_finish\" >What would your dream menu be for a perfect dinner, start to finish?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"interview-with-chef-ana-cecilia-avalos-reyes\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"interview_with_chef_ana_cecilia_avalos_reyes\"><\/span>Interview with Chef Ana Cecilia \u00c1valos Reyes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-inspired-you-to-become-a-chef\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what_inspired_you_to_become_a_chef\"><\/span>What inspired you to become a chef?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMolecular cuisine is what hooked me at the beginning. Discovering that science and cooking could come together opened up a world of possibilities. Over time, anthropology and history became my greatest allies, helping me refine what I do and understand that every dish is also a cultural story.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-your-signature-dish-the-one-that-always-impresses\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what_is_your_signature_dish_the_one_that_always_impresses\"><\/span>What is your signature dish, the one that always impresses?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy rajas con crema. It might sound simple, yet many people don\u2019t know it in its authentic form. It always surprises with a deep flavor tied to family tradition and ranch cooking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"if-you-could-cook-for-anyone-living-or-not-who-would-it-be-and-why\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"if_you_could_cook_for_anyone_living_or_not_who_would_it_be_and_why\"><\/span>If you could cook for anyone, living or not, who would it be and why?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy great-grandmother. She taught my great-aunt, who passed down the family recipes to me. Our techniques are different, yet her foundations are the base of what I cook today. My great-aunt always said it would have been wonderful if we had met, since the family\u2019s culinary art practically went with her. My great-grandmother cooked for important figures during the Porfiriato, and I would have loved to build that bridge between generations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-the-most-unusual-or-curious-ingredient-youve-worked-with\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what_is_the_most_unusual_or_curious_ingredient_youve_worked_with\"><\/span>What is the most unusual or curious ingredient you\u2019ve worked with?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCapomo. It is an ancestral ingredient from Nayarit with fascinating uses in baking, beverages, and desserts. I love rescuing it, since it represents a part of our gastronomic memory that almost disappeared.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-kitchen-tool-cant-you-live-without\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what_kitchen_tool_cant_you_live_without\"><\/span>What kitchen tool can\u2019t you live without?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe metate or the molcajete. They are not just utensils. They symbolize tradition, patience, and respect for ingredients.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"859\" height=\"860\" src=\"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Captura-de-pantalla-2025-10-01-105904-859x860.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3610\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Captura-de-pantalla-2025-10-01-105904-859x860.webp 859w, https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Captura-de-pantalla-2025-10-01-105904-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Captura-de-pantalla-2025-10-01-105904-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Captura-de-pantalla-2025-10-01-105904-768x769.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Captura-de-pantalla-2025-10-01-105904.webp 1220w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 859px) 100vw, 859px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"after-a-long-service-what-is-your-favorite-comfort-food\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"after_a_long_service_what_is_your_favorite_comfort_food\"><\/span>After a long service, what is your favorite comfort food?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFrijoles a la charra with a few corn quesadillas. That combination gives me peace, connects me with my roots, and reminds me why I love simple cooking packed with flavor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"do-you-have-a-philosophy-or-motto-you-follow-in-the-kitchen\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"do_you_have_a_philosophy_or_motto_you_follow_in_the_kitchen\"><\/span>Do you have a philosophy or motto you follow in the kitchen?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCook with memory. It is not just about preparing food, it is about honoring the stories, people, and cultures that live through what we serve at the table.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-food-trend-do-you-secretly-love-or-openly-dislike\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what_food_trend_do_you_secretly_love_or_openly_dislike\"><\/span>What food trend do you secretly love, or openly dislike?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI love brunch. Beyond the trend, I like it because it is timeless. You can have breakfast for dinner or dinner for breakfast, and no one questions it. It is a free space to play with cooking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"if-you-were-not-a-chef-what-would-you-do\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"if_you_were_not_a_chef_what_would_you_do\"><\/span>If you were not a chef, what would you do?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI would be an ethnobotanist. I am passionate about the relationship between plants and culture, and I actually studied Mexican herbalism at university, though I did not finish the degree. I have always been fascinated by how nature and cooking intertwine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-would-your-dream-menu-be-for-a-perfect-dinner-start-to-finish\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what_would_your_dream_menu_be_for_a_perfect_dinner_start_to_finish\"><\/span>What would your dream menu be for a perfect dinner, start to finish?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI would start with a corn amuse-bouche, maybe a reinterpreted little tamal. Then a bean soup with fresh herbs. Next, a main of golden fish in ranch style, with squash from the milpa. For dessert, something with cacao and capomo, to honor ancestral ingredients. I would pair it with Mexican wines and seasonal aguas frescas.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Few chefs thread science, heritage, and coast-to-table ease like Ana Cecilia \u00c1valos Reyes. A private chef based in Punta Mita, she brings more than nine years of experience to bespoke dinners across Riviera Nayarit and Puerto Vallarta, serving towns like Sayulita, San Pancho, Bucer\u00edas, and Nuevo Nayarit. Her background spans Gastronomy studies at ICUM and &#8230; <a title=\"Chef of the Month: Ana Cecilia \u00c1valos Reyes\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/month-chef-ana-cecilia-avalos-reyes\" aria-label=\"Read more about Chef of the Month: Ana Cecilia \u00c1valos Reyes\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":18732,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[276],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18730","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-our-services"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18730","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18730"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18730\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18732"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18730"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18730"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.takeachef.com\/blog\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18730"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}