Francisco "Paco" Ruano

Guadalajara-born Francisco Ruano is the award-winning chef behind Guadalajara's renowned Alcalde, a restaurant recognized as one of the finest dining establishments in the state of Jalisco and in all of Mexico. After finishing his studies in Guadalajara, Ruano completed an internship with Thierry Bouet in Puerto Vallarta before studying at the prestigious Luis Irizar cooking school. He then went on to gain invaluable global experience at Mugaritz (Basque Country), Celler de Can Roca (Girona), and Noma (Denmark). In love with the flavors acquired from the traditional Mexican cuisine that he absorbed in the kitchens of his mother and grandmother, and fueled by his experience in European kitchens, Ruano has developed a cuisine that is passionate about flavor and close to the land and its cycles, always executed with simplicity. Ruano, in partnership with Luis Mora and Eduardo Cabrera, opened Alcalde in 2013, which has been ranked Highest New Entry in 2017's Latin America's 50 Best before being recognized with the Highest Climber Award in 2019 and honored in The World's 50 Best this year. In 2022, Ruano had the pleasure of opening Ojo in Bangkok, the shining star atop the city's tallest building.