Colombian Chef María Cecilia Restrepo Wins Culinary Competition at the GastroAntep 2026 Festival in Türkiye

Caribbean cook María Cecilia Restrepo, known as ‘Ajá Chechi’, earned first place in the GastroAntep 2026 culinary competition in Gaziantep, Türkiye, after presenting a proposal that fused Colombian Caribbean tradition with Arab heritage.

Competition Results and Culinary Proposal in Gaziantep

The contestant was the only woman in the competition and entered the lineup against representatives from Lebanon, Spain, Greece, and a former winner of MasterChef Türkiye.

The winning proposal featured egg-filled arepas (arepas de huevo) made with black corn, kibbeh, and baba ghanoush. The presented menu sought to pay tribute to the work of Colombia’s traditional fried-food makers (fritangueras) and to the chef’s family background.

Professional Career and Base of Operations in Cartagena

María Cecilia Restrepo, born on the island of San Andrés and raised in Montería, has accumulated 10 years of experience in the culinary sector. Her work focuses on the culinary crossbreeding (mestizaje) between the ancestral cuisine of the Caribbean and Arab tradition.

She currently operates as an independent chef from a cloud kitchen she owns located in Callejón de los Estribos, near Plaza Santo Domingo in Cartagena’s Historic Center. From this space, she leads her gastronomic production alongside her team made up of Geo, Marciana, and Omer.