Meet El Equipo Behind Mexican Fine Dining in Dubai

Chef Richard Sandoval is a global pioneer in contemporary Latin cuisine. His career as a chef, restaurateur and entrepreneur also includes serving as a television personality, cookbook author, brand ambassador and philanthropist. He is internationally acclaimed for his innovative approach in combining Latin ingredients with modern culinary techniques to create award-winning flavors that span 60 locations and 4 continents. 

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Sandoval has earned many accolades over the course of his career including Mexico's "National Toque d 'Oro," Bon Appetit's "Restauranteur of the Year," Cordon d'Or's "Restauranteur of the Year", one of The Inc Magazine's 10 Most Inspiring Business Leaders, a James Beard Semi-Finalist for "Outstanding Restaurateur" and received an Honorary Doctorate for Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University.  
 
Chef Sandoval is commended for elevating Latin American dining in each market he has a presence with best-in-class concepts, with regular features in publications like The New York Times and People. Sandoval is also credited for introducing Latin cuisine to the UAE, Qatar and Serbia. 

A native of Mexico, Chef Guillermo is no stranger to creative expression. Known for making flavorful food that combines tradition and creativity, he also loves expressing himself through body art. Chef Guillermo has 27 tattoos all over his body, each tattoo telling a unique story. His last tattoo - a fan, represents his grandmother who was a flamenco dancer. He worked in several countries such as Canada, Oman, Qatar and India. He joined Maya as Chef de Cuisine in 2018 and has since been rocking the venue. "Cook or Die" is Chef Guillermo's life philosophy.