Roberto Santibanez

Roberto Santibañez’s culinary resume includes stints as restaurateur, culinary consultant and teacher in Mexico and the United States.  He was born in Mexico and graduated with honors from Paris’s Cordon Bleu, after which he worked in Europe for a few years. Roberto returned to Mexico City where he opened a series of restaurants which are considered to have raised the bar for contemporary Mexican cuisine.

In 1997, Roberto moved north, to become the executive chef of Fonda San Miguel in Austin, Texas. During his four years at Fonda San Miguel, Roberto was named “Best Chef” by the Austin Chronicle and garnered a five-star review from the Austin American-Statesman.

Roberto moved further north, landing in Manhattan in 2002 to join the team at the Rosa Mexicano restaurants. As culinary director for the restaurants, Roberto published his first cookbook, Rosa’s New Mexican Table, in 2007, which was nominated for a James Beard Award.

Currently he owns Truly Mexican, a consulting firm based in New York and dedicated to Mexican food and culinaria. He is also the culinary partner for Carlos Santana’s Maria Maria restaurants and other culinary institutions in the United States and Europe.

Roberto lives in New York.