CHEF PAULA BORJA
Born in Quito, Ecuador, Chef Paula Borja grew up cooking alongside her grandmother and nanny from a young age—standing on a ladder to reach the counter, learning with her hands before she could fully articulate why it mattered. She went to art school in Miami before the pull of the kitchen became undeniable. As a self-described artist, she saw the connection clearly: cooking was just another medium.
Paula built her career entirely on the job, rising quickly through Quito's restaurant scene. Her path was marked by varied concepts in Ecuador, starting her creative path at Mercado Mixtura. She then worked at Quitu (50 Best Latam) with chef mentor Juan Sebastian Pérez, an innovative concept that sought to be sustainable and respectful of Ecuador´s historical cuisine and culture. She then worked at Boca Valdivia under Chef Rodrigo Pacheco, moved to Somos, and finally took on her most senior role yet as Executive Chef at Ignis, working to introduce Ecuadorian diners to fine dining.
After nearly a decade leading kitchens in Ecuador, Paula moved to New York City and joined Crown Shy as a cook, then spent a year at Saga. She joined Maison Passerelle as Executive Sous Chef on the opening team, and is currently Chef de Cuisine at HAGS. Her cuisine is rooted in Ecuadorian tradition, driven by French techniques, experimenting their connection with world flavors. Every dish of hers begins as a drawing—plated with the eye of a painter and the precision of a chef. Chef Paula has always seen food as five dimensional art, not only meant to be beautiful, but also meant to inspire emotion and the memory of being at your grandmother’s house.
