Chef Ambassadors Selected to Represent San Antonio through 2025

Published on June 23, 2023

SAN ANTONIO (June 23, 2023) — The City of San Antonio World Heritage Office announces six individuals selected as chef ambassadors to represent San Antonio as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy for the next two years. A selection committee reviewed applications, which were submitted from March 1 to May 31, 2023, for the World Heritage Office’s Call for Chef Ambassadors. The selected chefs will participate in local, national, and international activities such as food festivals, media engagements, and other culinary events.

The selected chef ambassadors are:

• Chef Leo Davila, Stixs & Stone
• Chef Uyen Pham, The Culinary Institute of America
• Chef Sofia Tejeda, Hotel Emma - Supper
• Chef Chef Jaime Gonzalez, Carriqui
• Chef Juan Carlos Bazan, Cuishe Cocina Mexicana and Toro Kitchen + Bar
• Chef John Tamez, Brackenridge High School

A special presentation will take place in August where the selected chef ambassadors will be officially recognized.

“San Antonio is committed to leveraging the City's UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy designation, as a way to not only promote our unique culinary legacy, but also sustainability and best practices,” said Colleen Swain, Director of the City of San Antonio World Heritage Office. “The City of San Antonio congratulates these chef ambassadors who will contribute significantly to the city's reputation as a leader within the network, which is true to its roots, yet open to innovation.”  

The selection committee was comprised of members of the San Antonio UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy Advisory Group and City of San Antonio staff. They evaluated proposals in accordance with the selection criteria stated in the official application and the San Antonio UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy Guiding Principles. The committee included: Chef Johnny Hernandez (Grupo La Gloria), Chef Frank Salinas (St. Philip’s College), Chef Elizabeth Johnson (PharmTable), Chef Jose Frade (Culinary Institute of America), David Gonzalez (Visit San Antonio), and Colleen Swain (World Heritage Office).

"The chef ambassador selection process was rigorous and thorough, ensuring the talented individuals chosen from a wide applicant pool would be the best representatives for San Antonio’s culinary scene,” said David Gonzalez of Visit San Antonio. “These accomplished chefs have demonstrated exceptional skills, creativity, and commitment to local flavors, making them ideal ambassadors to showcase the city’s unique culinary treasures and why San Antonio is the Culinary Capital of Texas."

Chef ambassadors will promote local culinary traditions and cooking techniques, along with recipes and ingredients authentic to the city at opportunities within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network through 2025. Previous chef ambassadors that have represented San Antonio include, John Brand of Silver Ventures, David Caceres of La Panaderia, Lilla Bernal from the Culinary Institute of America, and others.

More information about the San Antonio Chef Ambassador Program from previous participants is available on the World Heritage Office YouTube channel.

In 2017, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated San Antonio as a Creative City of Gastronomy for its culinary legacy as a confluence of cultures. The city’s indigenous roots; the traditions and tastes introduced by the Spanish colonists in the 1700s; and the European, Asian, and African influences that came with European settlers in the 1800s have created a complex fusion that makes San Antonio's cuisine distinct from other southwest regions in the United States. As a UNESCO Creative City, San Antonio is part of a distinct group of international cities committed to sharing best practices, developing partnerships that promote creativity, strengthening participation in cultural life, and integrating culture into urban development plans. The City’s World Heritage Office oversees this designation for San Antonio.

More information on San Antonio as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy is available at SACityofGastronomy.org. Information on the World Heritage Office is available at SanAntonio.gov/WorldHeritage.