The Mexico Restaurant Rick Bayless Named One Of The Best In The Country

Rick Bayless is well known for winning Bravo's Top Chef Masters, but that is not the least the chef has achieved during his years in the culinary world. Rick Bayless is lauded for his Mexican cuisine and has even received the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle award from the government of Mexico itself, an extremely rare honor and the highest decoration Bayless could receive from the country. 

Not only that, but Bayless has written nine cookbooks, has hosted Emmy-nominated television shows, and has established quite a few businesses himself. He's even won the Julia Child Foundation Award and multiple James Beard Awards during his lifetime! Chef Bayless is without a doubt an expert on authentic Mexican cuisine, which means that when he goes out of the way to compliment someone else's cooking, we take notice.

On January 16th, Bayless took to Twitter to shout out a restaurant located in Tabasco, Mexico called Cocina Chontal. He complimented the owner and chef Nelly Córdoba Morillo, who he says makes flavor-packed dishes. Bayless said, "What a privilege to eat her food!"

For those of you who need to brush up on your geography, Tabasco, Mexico is located between the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Guatemala. The restaurant, Cocina Chontal, is in San Isidro de Comalcalco and Travel & Leisure listed it as one of the best restaurants in the world! With a brick floor, wooden tables and chairs, and a wood-fueled comal just outside the front door, the ambiance of the restaurant is described as rustic and warm. 

The Cocina Chontal sticks to its roots, and its chef, Nelly Córdova Morillo, learned to cook and enjoy traditional pre-Hispanic Mexican cuisine from her grandparents. Morillo was a lawyer until she opened up her restaurant but now focuses on creating food celebrating her culture, and feeding her community.

According to Mexico Daily Post, Cocina Chontal is fairly close to what is known as the "Archaeological Zone" which is a Mayan city on the coastline that attracts tourism for those interested in ancient history. Morillo helps to keep the culinary history of her people alive in her kitchen with a menu of 15 different traditional Chontal dishes. So, if you find yourself just outside of the Yucatan peninsula, seek out Cocina Chontal, it will not disappoint.