Rising Star Chef of the Year: Daniela Soto-Innes of Cosme in New York City
Daniela Soto-Innes comes from a long line of women who love food and cooking. And visiting the food markets and restaurants of Mexico City as a child only stoked her curiosity further. By the time she was 14, Soto-Innes was ready to work. She started as an intern with Marriot Hotels, a position which turned into a job that lasted through high school and landed her in Austin at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott. Soto-Innes stayed there for three years, building up a skill set in the context of a professional restaurant. After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, she worked at numerous restaurants in Texas, New York, Europe, and Mexico including Marks Restaurant, Brennan's of Houston, Triniti, Underbelly, and Pujol. Two years later, Soto-Innes continued exploring, at progressive American restaurant Triniti and charcuterie-driven Underbelly with Chef Chris Shepherd. In Pujol, she worked alongside Enrique Olvera. When Olvera was looking to bring his operation to New York City, he tapped Soto-Innes as opening chef de cuisine. Now at the helm of Cosme, Soto-Innes works on menu development with Olvera and kitchen management with fellow chef de cuisine Mariana Villegas. In 2015, Soto-Innes earned a StarChefs Rising Star Chef Award for her work at the restaurant.