Chef Mauricio Leal began his career in the kitchen of Café des Artistes in Puerto Vallarta, completing his internship prior to entering the prestigious Gregoire Ferrandi culinary academy in Paris, staying on after his studies to work at La Closerie de Lillas, one of the city’s most iconic French restaurants, where he learned the key foundations of classic French cuisine. Chef Leal returned to Puerto Vallarta to lead the catering team at Four Seasons Hotel Punta Mita, where he found a new passion for hosting events. Leal partnered with childhood friend Josue Jimenez to form Personal Chef, in operation for the past nine years. In 2017, Leal and Jimenez opened ICU, where they cook classic Mexican cuisine with imaginative twists.
Puerto Vallarta-born Chef Joel Ornelas is Chef and Co-owner of Tintoque. where he cooks with locally sourced ingredients not typically used in haute cuisine, featuring the finest regional flavors derived from Vallarta and the surrounding regions.
Chef Ornelas has worked in numerous MICHELIN-star restaurants across the U.S., France, Japan, and Thailand. He also served as Creative Chef for the renowned Guillermo Gonzales Beristain’s Grupo Pangea, creating menus for the Beristain’s eight award-winning restaurants.
