Celebrating Enrique Olvera’s Lifetime Achievement Award

Eduardo Tobon

“My initial feeling was surprise,” said Enrique Olvera, recalling his reaction to winning the prestigious Diners Club® Lifetime Achievement Award—Latin America 2015. “Being so young, I never expected to deserve such a merit,” the chef and restauranteur explained.

For the last 15 years, Olvera has made a vital contribution to the popularity of authentic Mexican cuisine through his contemporary menus and innovative dishes. His award-winning restaurant Pujol landed at No. 6 on Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2014, and ranked No. 16 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2015. In 2014, he opened Manhattan-based Cosme, and runs five other restaurants in Mexico City.

Pujol

Olvera has said that he believes food is a way of communicating, and this belief underlies not only his success but his mission to promote Mexico and Mexican cuisine via the kitchens of his restaurants. Olvera also founded and heads the successful Mesamerica chef conference, bringing leading figures in the restaurant and food industry from around the world together to discover, discuss and promote the region’s gastronomy.

The prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award is presented as part of the overall Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2015, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, and the award will be formally presented to Olvera at the awards ceremony in Mexico City on September 23, 2015.

We are excited to share Olvera’s reactions to receiving the award in our latest YouTube video, and I’m honored to present this award to the chef live in just a few short weeks:

Diners Club applauds Chef Olvera for his inspired approach to honoring the traditions of Mexican gastronomy, while also exploring new ways of experiencing and enjoying this cuisine. His contributions continue not only in the kitchens of his world-renowned restaurants, such as Pujol, but also in the generations of chefs he has taught and guided in his lifetime. Stay tuned to our blog and social media channels for additional behind-the-scenes videos with Chef Olvera.