With 14 years of culinary experience under her belt, Mexican-born Tamara Chavez is arguably one of the most credible advocates of Latin American gastronomy and culture in Singapore. Having trained in Peru at El Mercado under award-winning Chef Rafael Osterling whose eponymous restaurant was ranked #19 in Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019, Tamara marries her knowledge of Peru’s immense culinary heritage with the diverse and vibrant flavors of her home country.

Starting her career in the traditional restaurants of Mexico City, Tamara first moved to Singapore in 2014 as part of the opening team of Mexican fine dining restaurant El Mero Mero. Thereafter, she took on the position of Head Chef at TONO Cevicheria, the first cevicheria in Asia, and subsequently Ola Cocina Del Mar, a Spanish restaurant that was awarded a Michelin Plate for three consecutive years since 2017.

Fuelled by her passion to promote Latin American gastronomy and culture in her adopted home, Tamara helped launch LATINADA in 2018, Singapore’s first Latin American Festival, and returned to lead the second installment the following year. Recognizing her achievements and contribution to the vibrant dining scene in Singapore, she was named a finalist for the MKN Chef Of The Year (Female) awarded by the World Gourmet Awards in 2020 and 2021.

Tamara holds a master’s degree in gastronomy from the Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Turismo in Mexico City. In her spare time, she loves to salsa dance and visit different restaurants and bars in Singapore.