Daniela Soto-Innes named World’s Best Female Chef

Now in its ninth year, The Best Female Chef award has celebrated 21 women across 15 countries in its time, and is voted for by a global panel which includes over 500 female chefs, food experts and writers.

“I’m grateful to receive this award as it gives me the platform to inspire both my generation and younger generations of leaders to come,” says Soto-Innes.

“My main passion doesn’t come from cooking alone, but through making teams and allowing everyone around me to excel and reach their full potential by learning their unique way of expressing themselves.”

Originally from Mexico City, Soto-Innes moved to the US at the age of 12 and gravitated towards a career in food under the influence of her family’s three generations of food-loving matriarchs.

She trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Austin, before working at a number of restaurants in Houston and then going on to help open Manhattan’s Cosme in 2014.

“Daniela brings an unparalleled positive energy to her projects and has created a team that celebrates women of all ages,” says William Drew, group editor of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

“At Cosme she has combined innovative Mexican dishes with warm hospitality, leading a dynamic team to great success and popularity in the fiercely competitive New York dining scene.”