Chef Ana Castro
Acamaya | New Orleans, LA | https://www.acamayanola.com/
Ana Castro was raised in Mexico City by her grandmother, who played a crucial part in her culinary development by awakening her curiosity about not only food’s sourcing and preparation, but by showing her that a meal, however simple, can bring people together and cure whatever ails the soul. After pursuing a formal culinary education, Ana traveled from India and Europe to New York City and, ultimately, New Orleans, driven by her desire to learn from different cuisines and cultures. Since laying down roots in New Orleans, Ana worked her way up to sous chef through nationally acclaimed kitchens in New Orleans. While there, she was a finalist for the James Beard Foundation’s 2018 Rising Star Award and, in the same year, a recipient of the coveted Ment’Or Grant.
In 2021, Ana opened Lengua Madre to elevate our current understanding of Mexican cuisine. Under her leadership, Lengua Madre was a semifinalist for the 2022 James Beard Foundation’s Best New Restaurant award and was included in both the New York Times’ “Restaurant List” 2021 and Bon Appetit’s “50 Best New Restaurants” 2022. Read Full Bio
