Gabe Erales

Chef Gabe Erales is native El Pasoan, the son of parents that immigrated to the U.S. from Quintana Roo, Mexico. Immersed in Mexican culture, Erales developed a passion for cooking early in his childhood and started working in restaurants when he was 15 years old. After graduating from University of Texas at Austin, where he received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering, Erales recognized that his passion ultimately remained rooted in the kitchen. 

In 2010, he enrolled at Le Cordon Bleu and earned the prestigious Stephen Pyles Culinary Scholarship. Following graduation, Erales began his culinary career sharpening his skills in some of Austin's most lauded restaurants. His most notable work experience was working under Rene Redzepi for Noma's Mexico project in Tulum, Quintana Roo. 

In 2019, Erales opened Comedor Restaurant as the Executive Chef earning the accolades of  Best New Restaurant by Esquire and Texas Monthly. In 2021, Erales was crowned the winner of Bravo’s Top Chef Season 18, becoming the first Mexican American to ever win the competition. He returned to the University of Texas at Austin in 2022 to pursue a certification in SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) and later returned to Denmark, Copenhagen to complete Rene Redzepi’s MAD Academy Business & Leadership program.

In 2021, Erales opened Bacalar, a restaurant showcasing the diversity of the Yucatán Peninsula by paying homage to the influence of the region’s many other diasporas including Spanish, Lebanese, and Caribbean. Chef Gabe also brought his talent to the East Coast with the opening of Ometeo, an upscale Tex-Mex restaurant located just outside Washington, D.C. in Tysons, VA. As a Chef and Partner of Ometeo, Erales and the team at Long Shot Hospitality (LSH), look to celebrate lesser-known ingredients and introduce guests to dishes beyond what most Americans expect from Tex-Mex cuisine. 

When he’s not at the restaurant, Erales can be found spending time with his family, cooking, playing sports or traveling throughout Mexico. Passionate about giving back to his community, Erales also created a scholarship fund for the Culinary Institute of America in 2021 called Ninos de Maiz, which provides Hispanic students with the support and tools needed to further their culinary education. Chef Gabe is also on the Culinary Board for Hands Offering Hope (HOH), a non-profit organization that provides opportunity and empowerment through culinary education in Kantunilkín, Quintana Roo, Mexico. 

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