Felipe Salas

An Ecuadorian chef trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Australia, Felipe has over 15 years of experience working in professional kitchens across Australia, Thailand, Peru, the United States, Bolivia, and Denmark. Upon returning to Ecuador, he opened Banh Mi in Quito, followed by Guero Guey and Banh Mi’s classic cocktail bar. Later, he joined the Iche project as Executive Chef — a role he still holds — and is now Chef and co-owner of Clara in Quito.

Ángel De Sousa

A Venezuelan chef with a broad background in kitchens across Venezuela, Mexico, and Spain. A self-taught cook with studies in sociology, he began his path in pastry before expanding into various areas of cooking, gaining wide experience in bean-to-bar chocolate making. He arrived in Ecuador as head chef of Iche, a unique gastronomic project based on the cuisine of Manabí. He is currently Chef and co-owner of Clara in Quito.

Ana Lobato

A graduate of the Basque Culinary Center, Ana worked in prestigious kitchens and pastry shops in Spain before specializing in culinary research and innovation at Fundación Alícia. With deep experience in pastry and ice cream making, she came to Ecuador to lead the creation of a network of culinary innovation labs across the coast, highlands, and Amazon. Today, she is co-owner of Clara and works as a researcher and lecturer at Universidad San Francisco de Quito.