Rodrigo Pacheco is a world-renown chef hailing from Ecuador with a cuisine influenced by his native country and France, all while growing his own produce. His culinary talents awarded him appearances on Netflix’s The Final Table, competing in a cooking contest at the international level.

Pacheco was heavily inspired by his schooling in France at the Ipstitut Paul Bocuse, where he learned the precision of French cuisine. Upon graduation, he became a member of the French Culinary Academy and earned cooking positions at French restaurants honored with Michelin stars, including Alain Chapel, La Palme d’Or, Michel Bras, and even Sketch in London, UK.

Now, he serves as the executive chef back in Ecuador at restaurants such as BocaValdivia and Tanusas Retreat & Spa, with inventive menu items such as black-shellfish cappuccino with palo santo oil and cassava croutons. Both of these restaurants are rooted in sustainability, using artisanal fishing and organic agriculture from what Pacheco coined as his “food jungle,” making the restaurant groceries 80% self-sufficient. This produce includes 80 different types of flowers, fruits, roots, seeds, and vegetables. His restaurant, BocaValdivia, has earned upwards of 30K followers on Instagram, while Pacheco, himself, has seen over 88K followers on the platform.

Additionally, he is the owner and executive chef of both Casa del Abelo Art Hotel and Restaurant, and the company, Cuisine Standard, helping cooks and restaurants around the world with their wide array of services. His work has even extended to teaching his community about nutrition in his green school.