Celebrating Biodiversity at the Dinner Table: Mexico City with Chefs' Manifesto & CIMMYT

In collaboration with Chefs’ Manifesto, the SDG2 Advocacy Hub, and CIMMYT, I had the honor of preparing a multi-course meal at the CIMMYT World Headquarters in Mexico City—home to some of the most innovative agricultural scientists working across Africa, South America, and Asia.

The meal was a celebration of biodiversity and seed sovereignty, built around climate-resilient legumes, grains, and ground crops—ingredients that nourish both people and planet. From heirloom beans and teff to milled maize and drought-tolerant sorghum, every dish told a story rooted in sustainability, cultural identity, and food justice.

Following the meal, I spoke about the power of the dinner table as a platform for change, and the vital role chefs play in protecting biodiversity. Through food, we can create bridges between science, culture, and community—and reinforce the message that the solutions to global hunger already exist, often in the hands of smallholder farmers and Indigenous communities.

While in Mexico City, Paul Newnham and I also took time to honor the roots of food and culture in the region. We toured the Aztec pyramids of Teotihuacan, walked among ancient ruins, and reflected on the relationship between agriculture, civilization, and ceremony.

One of the most profound moments for me was dining at La Gruta, a legendary restaurant set inside a natural cave beside the pyramids. We visited their on-site working farm, where I witnessed firsthand the preparation of pit-cooked lamb barbacoa, a dish that blends pre-Hispanic earth oven techniques with post-colonial ingredients like creole mutton. I’ll never forget tasting chapulines sopas (Oaxacan grasshoppers), taquitos made from their locally raised lamb, and the soulful depth of their traditional preparations.

As part of the experience, I was invited to light a candle inside the cave—a sacred act I dedicated to my beloved cat Baby Gator, who passed away unexpectedly at just 7 years old. That moment was a reminder of how deeply food, spirit, and memory are intertwined.

We also shared a beautiful meal at Máximo, the acclaimed restaurant from Chef Eduardo “Lalo” García, whose story and cooking reflect the soul of contemporary Mexican cuisine. And throughout the journey, we ate heirloom maize tortillas—fresh, vivid, and unforgettable.

This trip was more than work—it was a personal pilgrimage, a celebration of ancestral wisdom, and a reminder that the future of food must be rooted in respect for the past.

My deepest thanks to Paul Newnham, the Chefs’ Manifesto network, and the CIMMYT team for making this experience possible. Honored to represent the culinary voice in this critical conversation about the future of food.