Chef Tamara Chavez : Born in Mexico, adopted by Singapore
- Born in Mexico, based in Singapore
- Head Chef of CANCHITA restaurant
- Finalist Female Chef Of The Year (World Gourmet Awards)
Other Mexican chefs here. Other Casual chefs.
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With 14 years of international culinary experience under her belt, Mexican-born Tamara Chavez is arguably one of the most credible advocates of Latin American gastronomy and culture in Singapore and Asia.
Having trained in Peru at El Mercado under award winning Chef Rafael Osterling whose eponymous restaurant was ranked #19 in Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022, Tamara marries her knowledge of Peru’s immense culinary heritage with the diverse and vibrant flavours of her home country.
Starting her career in the traditional restaurants of Mexico City, Tamara first moved to Singapore in 2014 as part of the opening team of Mexican fine dining restaurant El Mero Mero.
Thereafter, she took on the position of Head Chef at TONO Cevicheria, the first Peruvian cevicheria in Asia, and subsequently OLA Cocina Del Mar, a Spanish restaurant that was awarded a Michelin Plate for three consecutive years since 2017.
Fuelled by her passion to promote Latin American gastronomy and culture in her adopted home, Tamara helped launch LATINADA in 2018, Singapore’s first Latin American Festival and returned to lead the second instalment the following year.
Recognising her achievements and contribution to the vibrant dining scene in Singapore, she was named finalist for the Female Chef Of The Year awarded by the World Gourmet Awards in 2021 and 2022.
At the same time she has travelled to Vietnam, Malaysia, Seychelles and South Korea to execute Peruvian and Mexican cuisine promotional activities.
Tamara holds a master’s degree in gastronomy from the Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Turismo in Mexico City. In her spare time, she loves to salsa dance and visit different restaurants and bars in the world.
