In every typical dish served in Colombia, there is much more than just ingredients: there is memory, identity, and resilience. At the heart of Colombian cuisine are women who have dedicated their lives to protecting and passing down recipes that tell the story of a diverse people deeply rooted in tradition. They are quiet masters, working over their stoves, safeguarding flavors, knowledge, and techniques that might otherwise disappear in the face of modernity and globalization. Thanks to them, every bite becomes a journey into the past and a promise for the future generations.
Four outstanding custodians of Colombian cuisine
Elisa Hernandez S.: a pioneer of Antioquian cuisine
At the beginning of the 20th century, Elisa Hernandez S. took a revolutionary step for her time: in 1907, she published the Practical Cooking Manual for the City and the Countryside, considered the first cookbook of “criolla” (creole) cuisine in Antioquia. Her work is divided into two volumes: the first dedicated to savory dishes and the second to sweets and desserts.
Elisa compiled traditional Antioquian recipes as well as international ones, from French lunches to practical advice such as how to start a wood fire or how to slaughter a hen. Her book was groundbreaking in systematizing recipes at a time when culinary tradition was only passed down orally. Thanks to her, many typical preparations were preserved and today are an essential part of paisa identity. Elisa established herself as a true custodian of Antioquian cuisine, blending local flavors with European techniques and creating a mestizo cuisine that still endures.
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Luz Dary Cogollo: the ‘Mama Luz’ of the market
Affectionately known as “Mama Luz,” Luz Dary Cogollo’s love for cooking began by watching her mother on Colombia’s Caribbean coast and evolved as she began blending these flavors with ingredients from the Andean highlands.
Her cooking has become a bridge between regions and generations. In the markets of La Perseverancia and La Concordia, “Mamá Luz” offers iconic dishes such as mote de queso, coconut rice, fried mojarra, and ajiaco. Each recipe is an act of cultural resistance and an invitation to savor the entire country.
Moreover, she has inspired many women to see cooking as an opportunity for entrepreneurship and has taken Colombian flavors to international events. With her restaurants — Tolu Restaurante, Casa Mama Luz, and Esencia Mama Luz — she has created spaces where memory and territory can be felt in every bite. For her, cooking is the soul of the nation.
@travelercolombia #casamamaluz #restaurantesbogota ♬ She Share Story (for Vlog) – 山口夕依
Teresita Roman de Zurek: the chronicler of Cartagena’s flavor
Teresita Roman de Zurek was born in Cartagena in 1925 and dedicated her life to protecting and sharing the rich culinary heritage of Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Her book “Cartagena de Indias en la Olla,” published in 1963, is considered a gastronomic bible. It collects more than 300 recipes, including the emblematic posta negra cartagenera, coconut rice in various versions, carimañolas, arepas de huevo, and many more.
Thanks to her rigor and love for tradition, she managed to preserve recipes handed down by word of mouth. In addition, Teresita actively participated in social and cultural work, serving as honorary president of the Colombian Red Cross and as a member of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. Her work helped internationalize Cartagena’s cuisine and positioned it as a global culinary reference. Teresita was not only a cook but also an untiring custodian of culinary heritage.
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Elsis Maria Valencia Rengifo: soul and flavor of the Pacific
Elsis Maria Valencia Rengifo, known as one of the great custodians of Colombia’s Pacific coast, is an example of resilience, passion, and pride in tradition. She was born in Mosquera, Nariño, where the sea and mangroves set the rhythm of everyday life. From a young age, she accompanied her father fishing and grilling palometa fish over a wood fire, learning to see cooking as an intimate act of love and community.
Despite life’s hardships, she never abandoned her passion. In 2008, she enrolled at SENA educational institution, where she trained as a cook, instructor, and researcher. She has documented and taught recipes such as encocado, aborrajados, lappingachos made with yuca, and smoked meats, ensuring that Pacific flavors are not lost.
Co-author of the book “Sabor a Pacifico, sabor a memoria,” Elsis has also showcased her cuisine internationally in countries such as the Netherlands, Finland, and Belgium. Furthermore, she defends local markets as living spaces of cultural and female resistance, promoting gastronomic tourism and the appreciation of regional heritage. Her legacy goes beyond cooking: it is a tribute to life and to Afro-Colombian identity.