Cartagena-born chef Leonor Espinosa was selected as the best female chef in the world after receiving the award from the list of The World's 50 Best Restaurants -'50 Best'-, which constantly visits the most creative and avant-garde tables of the five continents. 

The announcement, published Tuesday in the official accounts of The world's 50 best, and sponsored by Nude Glass, is a recognition voted by experts from around the world that has been positioning restaurants in a global guide for years.

"Leonor Espinosa has become one of the most iconic Latin American chefs of her generation, championing her country's biodiversity and cultural diversity like no other. Combining extensive scientific research with culinary innovation, she is a self-taught chef who continues to seek new knowledge as well as to educate others. We are thrilled to be able to recognize her incredible work with this important award," said William Drew, Content Director of The World's 50 Best Restaurants.

Her nomination comes ahead of the unveiling of this year's list and she will receive it in person at the gala ceremony on July 18th in London.

Chef Leonor is the owner of the restaurant 'Leo' in Bogota, which also ranked 46th of the 50 best restaurants worldwide in The world's 50 best ranking.

Through her foundation 'Funleo', the chef has taken her expertise to another level, educating and empowering farmers who have been marginalized in some way, putting her products at the service of restaurants like 'Leo', which uses Santander ants, Amazonian mojojoy larvae and fish from the pirarucu river in the foreground.

"About 90% of our ingredients come from regions that are difficult to access, so they are not found in the markets and are generally little known to consumers. Leo uses these ingredients responsibly and sustainably to minimize waste, with most of the unused products delivered to our comfort food restaurant, El Casual, while what is not useful is composted," Espinosa told 50 Best.

Leonor Espinosa was first a fine artist and then a publicist, but gave up her rush-filled office career to pursue a creative life in the kitchen in order to express herself. Before opening 'Leo' in 2005, he worked at Claroscuro and Matiz restaurants in Bogotá. In the latter she managed to make a name for herself in the Colombian gastronomic world and strengthen her knowledge to become the chef she is today.