Field Notes: February 2026

A Colombian chef runs for political office, foraging for rabbit poop, and new Peruvian restaurants in LA & DC.

Colombian chef Leonor Espinosa attends a ceremony at the 'Alimentarte' food festival in Bogota, on July 13, 2022. Photo: DANIEL MUNOZ/AFP via Getty Images.

Colombian Chef Leonor Espinosa Runs for Congress

There is often talk of those in the culinary world entering politics. For example, the Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio has been considered a frontrunner for the Peruvian presidency, though he has shown little interest in running. Others are active in policy, though remain on the periphery, like the chef Tom Colicchio in the U.S. I was a bit caught off guard when I learned that the Colombian chef Leonor Espinosa, who runs the fine dining restaurants Leo and La Sala de Laura in Bogotá, is running for Cámara for Bogotá L101, a congressional seat in the capital district, with the center-left Partido Liberal party.

I’ve personally known Leo for many years and she is one of the rare chefs that has not wavered in her beliefs and the purpose of her work, even when unpopular or outside the gastronomic bubble. Her work in building community and dialogue with indigenous and rural communities and their ancestral practices alongside her daughter Laura through her foundation FunLeo has been ongoing and relentless for nearly 20 years. I think without a doubt she is qualified to enter into this wider conversation at this moment in Colombia.

“Todo lo que hago a través de la cocina es política,” or “everything I do through cooking is political,” she said when she announced her candidacy.

In an interview with El Tiempo, she explains why gastronomy is an important part of her platform:

“…gastronomy is a productive sector that generates massive employment. It used to generate more formal employment; today, informal employment predominates, and we need to return to generating formal employment on a large scale. Furthermore, gastronomy connects rural and urban areas, activates agricultural supply chains, and expresses the biodiversity and identity of our regions. The sector has been experiencing a crisis since 2023, with restaurant closures due to inflation, high costs, and a tax burden that returned without any transition after the pandemic. Therefore, two things are urgently needed: its own statistical recognition, with a satellite account and a thorough census, and immediate tax relief to curb closures and sustain employment.”

Does Espinosa have the political will and agenda to accomplish anything in the national political spectrum? I have no idea. I’m curious to hear more of her platform in the weeks ahead. Regardless, I welcome more from this world to enter politics, as more diverse backgrounds and voices are more important than ever.

“Omakase Isn’t Just for Japanese Food. Ask These Taqueros.” by José R. Ralat – Texas Monthly

“An Indigenous Community’s Spiritual Haunting In “Jaidë,” or “House of Spirits,” the Colombian photographer Santiago Mesa documents a remote people facing a rash of youth suicides.” by Camila Osorio – The New Yorker

“How Chefs Are Making Chocolate Without Cacao Beans” by Rafael Tonen – T Magazine

“Where to Eat in 2026: The Dominican Republic” by Nicholas Gill – Eater

“An Odd Nickname for a Catfish” by Robert Bradley – robert bradley

“Through Food and Culture, the East Bay Ohlone Are Repairing Centuries of Harm” by Vincent Medina and Louis Trevino – Civil Eats

Cartoon

This is cartoon comes from Jerry King, a longtime cartoonist for Playboy, the Wall Street Journal and many other publications, and also a fellow Ohioan. He would really, really like it if you checked out his Patreon page to help support another independent creator though. You can also order his books, like the brand new Drawing Cartoons Step-by-Step or the older yet brilliant Trickle Down: A Blue Collar Cartoon Look At Economics.