Born French, of Spanish descent, Basque at heart, and Mexican by conviction, Mikel Alonso is one of the most recognized chefs internationally. His philosophy is summed up in a basic concept: “To be a good cook, you must first be a good person,” which he acquired during his time at the Luis Irizar Cooking School in San Sebastián, Spain. There he learned to love and respect the product, to pamper the technique so that it serves the product, and to honor and protect the profession of being a cook.