Melinda Ridaura

Melinda Ridaura Harvey, born in 1978 in Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, is a Mexican visual artist with a multidisciplinary background in interior design, museography, gastronomy, sculpture and humanities. Her work, a fusion of installations and performance, explores Mexican identity through the lens of gastronomy and reflects her rich Mexican, Spanish and English cultural heritage.

During her time in the Mexican film industry, she developed a special fondness for historical projects and food styling. At the end of 2020, she decided to make a radical change in her life, moving to another country and exploring other professional paths. She currently resides in Edinburgh and is dedicated to facilitating therapeutic workshops at the psychiatric hospital. In this new context, she combines her passion for art with her social vocation, using cooking, art and ceramics as tools to promote well-being. In her free time she dances, creates alebrijes and works on the second edition of her family recipe book.

Maite Laborde

She was born in Mexico City, where she lived and studied until she completed her Bachelor's degree.
Since she was little, she was attracted to dishes that were prepared at home, so she dedicated a lot of time of her childhood and youth to the kitchen. She studied Pedagogy at UNAM (1982-1986). She moved to Boston, MA, USA, where she lived from 1988 to 1993; it was there that she decided to specialize as a chef by completing a diploma at Cambridge School of Culinary Arts, Massachusetts, USA in 1989-1990.
She moved to Cambridge, England (1993-1995) and perfected her English by taking the "Proficiency in English" course at the University of Cambridge.
Since then, already in Mexico, she has worked in food preparation and menu design, specializing in the presentation of dishes in a professional manner as a Food Stylist in fields ranging from Editorial (Mango Editorial 2014-2016; Delicias de la Cocina and Gourmet Experience of Liverpool 2018-2019), to Commercial (Advertising projects for Bimbo, Herdez, Superama, Marinela, LALA, Nutella, Nutriolli, among others; and for restaurant image: Las Palomas, Malinalco and El Edhen in CDMX; 2016-2024), and Entertainment (in Period Series: Sitiados III, 2018 and Travesuras de la Niña Mala, 2020).
In parallel to her work, she has taken the following Specialization courses: Food Styling Course in Another Style for Cooking; Pre-Hispanic Food Course “The 300 dishes of Moctezuma” taught by Rodrigo Llanes at CEGAG; Food Illumination Course, taught by Nacho Urquiza; Molecular Cooking Course, at ASPIC Gastronomic Institute; Course in Modern Dessert Techniques at La Postrería, taught by Chef Fernanda Covarrubias.
She personally worked on and printed a recipe book entitled “My favorite recipes”, illustrated with watercolor drawings made by herself.

Maco Sánchez

Born in Madrid in 1968, she has lived and worked in Mexico, intermittently, since 1993. She holds a degree in American Anthropology from the Complutense University of Madrid (1986-1991) and a Master of Liberal Arts in Museology from the Harvard University Extension School, Cambridge, MA (2003-2005).
She has managed the association of art critics Curare, A.C. (1993-1997) and Abel Quezada, A.C. (2007-2012); and has been manager of the studios of Jan Hendrix (1997-2000) and Francis Alÿs (2016-2020).
Among her most recent projects, she has been associate curator of the exhibition Jan Hendrix. Tierra Firme (MUAC, CDMX; Bonnefantenmuseum, Maastricht; MAHG, León, 2019-2022); and co-curator of Curare. Poisons, Remedies and Critical Strategies, 1991-2010 (MUAC, 2022). In the editorial field, she has edited: OMR 1(1983-2015) (Turner, 2020); A Thousand Threads, on Guillermo Santamarina (Alias, 2023); Atlas/Casa Jan Hendrix (Citi Banamex/RM, 2024).

Benito Taibo

(México, 1960) es escritor, periodista y entusiasta promotor de la lectura entre los jóvenes. Inició su camino en la literatura como poeta con Siete primeros poemas (1976), Vivos y suicidas (1978), Recetas para el desastre (1987) y De la función social de las gitanas (2002). Ha publicado en Planeta sus novelas Polvo (2010), Persona normal (2011), Querido Escorpión (2013), Desde mi muro (2014), Cómplices (2015), Corazonadas (2016) y la trilogía Mundo sin dioses: Camino a Sognum (2018), La razón y la ira (2019), Caos y destino (2020), Pasar inadvertido (Seix Barral, 2022). Su libro más reciente es Cuatro veranos (Planeta, 2023). Su obra es un referente ineludible en el panorama literario contemporáneo. 

Other activities involving the participant:

Poetry Room
Latin America Viva

Celia Aradillas García

Dr. Aradillas is a Pharmacobiological Chemist from the Autonomous University of San Luis de Potosí (Mexico), has a Master's Degree in Basic Biomedical Sciences from the same institution and a PhD in Medical Sciences from the University of Guanajuato.
She is currently a Full-Time Research Professor at the CIAAS Department of the Faculty of Medicine/CIACyT of the Autonomous University of San Luis de Potosí and is a Member of the National System of Researchers level II. Her main line of research is focused on the study of prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases from childhood to adulthood; evaluating different markers of metabolic inflammation, as well as advanced glycation end products (AGEs).

María Guadalupe Macías Medellín

Graduate in Anthropology from UASLP, Master in Sociology from BUAP and PhD in Anthropological Studies from COLSAN.

Her academic and social work has been mainly located in the Huasteca region of Potosí, with Tének and Nahua women of the region around the defense and promotion of midwifery and traditional medicine, a topic on which her current research focuses.
In addition, she is a Popular Educator with training at the Martin Luther King Memorial Center in Havana, Cuba and at the National Methodological School of the Mexican Institute for Community Development (IMDEC) in Guadalajara, Mexico. From this pedagogical commitment, she has accompanied and facilitated the training of different groups and collectives, collaborating with different civil society organizations in San Luis Potosí, Hidalgo, Guanajuato and Oaxaca such as Education and Citizenship (EDUCIAC), Ojo de Agua Communications, among others. She has also been a rural teacher and cultural promoter of some women's cooperatives in the Altiplano of Potosí.
She is the founder and current collaborator of the civil organization Comunidad Tecomate and is part of the Network of Tének and mestiza women groups "Those who accompany the hearts of women" where they promote educational spaces between women, the revitalization of ancestral knowledge and the defense of human rights.

Mariela Vega Cárdenas

National nutritionist and researcher level C. She has participated in the development of projects related to obesity, adipose tissue and microbiota, being the author of 12 publications in indexed journals.
She currently works as a technical supervisor in the community nutrition laboratory at the CIACYT of the Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí.

Lupita Vidal Aguilar

She is a prominent chef and promoter of Tabasco cuisine, owner of the renowned restaurants La Cevichería Tabasco and Salon Caimito. With more than a decade of experience, she has been awarded for her work in preserving and reinterpreting local cuisine, which has made her a benchmark for the gastronomy of southeastern Mexico.

Author of the book Agua y Humo - Cocinas de Tabasco, Vidal has taken the flavors of her land to new horizons. Her focus on ingredients from seas and rivers, along with her commitment to cultural identity, reflects her deep connection with contemporary cuisine and her mission to highlight the culinary richness of Tabasco.

Jesús David

He is a Tabasco businessman and co-author of the book Agua y Humo, a photographic work that explores the culture and gastronomy of Tabasco. With more than 200 images captured and edited by him, the book has been nominated for the Gourmand Awards in the self-publishing and women categories, reflecting his commitment to the dissemination of the culinary traditions of his region.

He is also co-owner of La Cevichería Tabasco, a restaurant recognized among the 250 best in Mexico by Culinaria Mexicana in 2024. With an innovative vision, Jesús combines his passion for gastronomy with his current training in a master's degree in Restaurant Management, always seeking to offer authentic experiences and elevate Tabasco cuisine to new levels.

Luza Alvarado

She is a writer and editor born in Mexico City in 1977. She studied a degree in Cultural Sciences at the Universidad del Claustro de Sor Juana, French Language and Civilization at the Sorbonne University, and a diploma in Literary Creation at the General Society of Writers of Mexico. As a FONCA scholarship holder, she completed a master's degree in Literature at the University of Chile, which has enriched her literary and academic approach.

Her texts have been published in magazines such as México Desconocido, El Gourmet, Gatopardo, Chilango, and Travesías. Since 2009, she has specialized in gastronomic publications, standing out as a researcher and editor of the five-volume series on the gastronomy of Colima, by chef Nico Mejía. In addition, she was the editor of the book Agua y Humo - Cocinas de Tabasco, by chef Lupita Vidal and photographer Jesús David.

Other activities involving the participant:

Volcanoes of Colima, flavors of fire and origin” volume V

Pedro Reyes

Obsessed with food since he was a child, Pedro began his career as a food journalist more than 12 years ago. He has written about food – both street and casual, as well as the world's great restaurants – in publications such as GQ, Swill, Chilango, Eater, Life & Style, White Guide, Travel+Leisure, among others, which have led him to cover stories about cooking and wine in different cities on five continents.
He is the author of the book ¡Acá las tortas!, published by Editorial Planeta, and editor of the book Javier Plascencia, The Soul of Baja. He was director of the Gourmet Awards until 2018. He participates in the documentary series Las Crónicas del Taco, produced by Netflix. He wrote the book Guía Domingo, about the best tacos in Mexico City. Currently, he is creative director of Paladar, the leading food marketing agency in Mexico.

Other activities involving the participant:

The Domingo Guide, a series of books that portrays Mexico's taco culture.

Andrea Tejeda Korkowski

Photographer and professor. She graduated from the Master's Degree in Communication from the Universidad Iberoamericana. She has participated in solo and group exhibitions in Mexico, France, Spain, Guatemala, Chile, Peru, Italy, and the United States. She is one of the artists selected for Proyecto Imaginario Latinoamérica 2020-2021. In 2016 she was selected for Descubrimientos PhotoEspaña and in 2018 she did an artistic residency at WabiSabi (Argentina).
She was one of the invited panelists for TEDxTukuy 2020. She has been a contributor to various national and international publications and publishers such as LA Times, Der Greif, Lenscratch, Harpers Bazaar, Tierra Adentro, Este País, Vice, Telos, Routledge, CONACULTA, Paradiso Editores, among others. Likewise, her photographs have been published in several books by Mexican and foreign publishers. She is co-founder of The Unperson Project.

Javier Risco

Journalist and communicator. Host of the radio program Hoy es Risco on Grupo Fórmula, Monday through Friday from 3 to 4 pm on 104.1 FM. He was the host of the morning radio program Así las cosas from 6 to 10 am on W Radio for almost 8 years and host of the television news program La nota dura from 10 to 11 pm on El Financiero Bloomberg from 2015 to 2021.
He has a wide audience on social networks where he has more than 1.3 million followers on Twitter -for three years in a row, considered one of the five most influential journalists in Mexico by the social network itself-, 41 thousand followers on Instagram and more than 100 thousand fans on Facebook. He has made podcasts such as Al cliente lo que pida on Amazon Music, Veredicto Público on Podimo and his podcast En qué momento on Gatopardo was considered one of the best audio projects of 2022 by Apple Podcast. He currently has an interview show on his YouTube channel called El extra. He connects with a young audience and decision makers. He currently writes the column “100 días después” for the newspaper El País and wrote a daily opinion column for El Financiero for 5 years.

Pedro Reyes

Obsessed with food since he was a child, Pedro began his career as a food journalist more than 12 years ago. He has written about food – both street and casual, as well as the world's great restaurants – in publications such as GQ, Swill, Chilango, Eater, Life & Style, White Guide, Travel+Leisure, among others, which have led him to cover stories about cooking and wine in different cities on five continents.
He is the author of the book ¡Acá las tortas!, published by Editorial Planeta, and editor of the book Javier Plascencia, The Soul of Baja. He was director of the Gourmet Awards until 2018. He participates in the documentary series Las Crónicas del Taco, produced by Netflix. He wrote the book Guía Domingo, about the best tacos in Mexico City. Currently, he is creative director of Paladar, the leading food marketing agency in Mexico.

Other activities involving the participant:

The Democratic Republic of the Pig

Nicholas Meehan

Co-Editor in Chief and Creative Director Domingo Guide

Alberto Rassam

Co-Editor in Chief and Principal Investigator Domingo Guide

Claudio De Angelis

Gastronomy blog in Guadalajara (@buendientegdl)

Nico Mejía

Originally from Manzanillo, Colima, Nico Mejía is a chef and researcher with a passion for Colima cuisine.

Graduated in Culinary Arts and Service from the Culinary Art School

He has worked in prestigious Michelin-starred restaurants such as The Frères Ibarboure (France), Can Fabes (Spain) and La Capinera (Italy), and was sous chef at La Rosa Náutica (Peru).

Author of the series of books on Colima gastronomy with 5 published volumes

Director of the Colima Sabe platform and professor of the only subject on Colima cuisine in the master's degree at the Culinary Art School of Tijuana.

In 2015, his restaurant Cortez, in Guadalajara, was considered one of the “3 to eat” by New York Magazine and winner of the best casual dining by the gourmet awards.

He was the host and traveling chef of the television program Cocineros Mexicanos por Azteza.

He is currently co-owner of the restaurants La SaL and Casa Rangel, both in Manzanillo.

Other activities involving the participant:

Metadata for everyone: Using and leveraging the Crossref API

Luza Alvarado

She is a writer and editor born in Mexico City in 1977. She studied a degree in Cultural Sciences at the Universidad del Claustro de Sor Juana, French Language and Civilization at the Sorbonne University, and a diploma in Literary Creation at the General Society of Writers of Mexico. As a FONCA scholarship holder, she completed a master's degree in Literature at the University of Chile, which has enriched her literary and academic approach.

Her texts have been published in magazines such as México Desconocido, El Gourmet, Gatopardo, Chilango, and Travesías. Since 2009, she has specialized in gastronomic publications, standing out as a researcher and editor of the five-volume series on the gastronomy of Colima, by chef Nico Mejía. In addition, she was the editor of the book Agua y Humo - Cocinas de Tabasco, by chef Lupita Vidal and photographer Jesús David.

Other activities involving the participant:

Presentation of the book Water and Smoke. Kitchens of Tabasco

Nanae Watabe

She is the daughter of a Japanese father and a Mexican mother. She graduated from the University of British Columbia (UBC) with a degree in psychology with a focus on sociology. She later studied a master's degree at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy.
Her expertise and connections in the culinary industry have led her to be part of such successful projects as Ishi - Ko as a cultural and gastronomic advisor. Her experience in the industry is extensive and varied, and ranges from operating as a chef-economist to managing organic gardens. She has a special love for wild mushrooms and her tours in the forest are regularly attended by both chefs and their kitchens. She is a supplier to the best restaurants in Mexico City, such as Hugo, Quintonil, Anónimo, Meroma, among others. She tries to exalt Mexico through the funghi kingdom.

María Álvarez

In March 2023, she founded NOVO, a publishing house specializing in culinary art, from a cultural perspective, with the idea of ​​occupying a central space in the culinary field of our country, from an editorial perspective. She studied Hispanic Literature at UNAM and Comparative Literature at the University of Sussex in England. She has edited and coordinated publications in the field of art, culture and social issues for twenty years. In 2013, she founded Sicomoro Ediciones, an independent publishing house whose original purpose is the edition and production of large-format books, which adhere to the spirit of specific creative work and the vision of the project in the field of print.
She worked as an assistant editor at Sabor magazine (2006-2008); she was head of strategy at Canal Once (2009); content editor for the production company Nao (2010); advisor and partner at Hojasanta magazine (2014-2018); and Deputy Director General of Cultural Programming at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2019). Since 2012, she has edited and developed content, books, websites and editorial concepts for diverse private, public, academic and civil society clients.

Carmen Robles

She has a Master's degree in publishing from the University of Salamanca. She is a professional with 13 years of experience in the management and coordination of publications, specializing in illustrated books. She joined Grupo Herdez as Director of the Foundation at the beginning of 2021, a position she currently holds. Leading the Foundation's objective of promoting and disseminating the richness of Mexican gastronomy. A foundation committed to developing strategies and an educational program aligned with the Zero Hunger Goal, one of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations.

Cristopher de Alba Anguiano

He is originally from Zapopan, Jalisco. He has a degree in tourism from the University of Guadalajara and a master's degree in Social Management and Public Policies from the Autonomous University of Guadalajara.

He began his professional career at the Guadalajara City Council within the Political Engagement Directorate, later at the Youth and Culture Institute of the same municipality.

From 2012 to 2021 he served as Head of Municipal Development at the Culture Secretariat of the State of Jalisco and currently holds the position of Director of Culture Zapopan, from 2021 to date.

Axayacatl Esoj Vázquez Torres

He has a degree in History from the University of Guadalajara and is a performing musician from the same university.
Since 2014, he has worked as a teacher, public servant and cultural manager in the municipalities of Guadalajara and Zapopan, as well as in the Jalisco Culture Secretariat and the State Council for Culture and the Arts of the State of Jalisco.
He is currently the head of the Heritage and Research Unit belonging to the Zapopan Culture Directorate.