Chef Rick Bayless is synonymous with Mexican cuisine, and he's even received the Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle award from the government of Mexico. Given that the chef is such an authority, it was high praise when Bayless said of Nelly Córdoba Morillo, owner and chef of Cocina Chontal, "What a privilege to eat her food!"

Cocina Chontal is located in Tabasco, Mexico, 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, and it offers a menu of 15 traditional Chontal dishes.

Cocina Chontal sticks to its roots, and Nelly Córdova Morillo helps to keep the culinary history of her people alive. She learned to cook traditional pre-Hispanic Mexican cuisine from her grandparents, and focuses on celebrating her culture and feeding her community with dishes like mole poblano, agua frescas, and masa quesadillas.