Chef Jesús Gibaja Pérez

Chef Jesus Gibaja describes being in the kitchen as the place to strengthen the chain of human existence; a place of active joy and meditation. Like many chefs, this philosophy, and his passion for cooking, was born in his grandmother’s kitchen where every dish she prepared captured the flavors and aromas of different locations around the world exposing Gibaja at an early age to the possibilities of global cuisine. Making his grandmother proud and fulfilling his childhood dream, Gibaja later graduated with a Mexican Master Culinary degree in culinary arts and Mexican cuisine from Centro Culinario Ambrosia in Mexico City. As a perfect educational pairing, Gibaja also earned his Sommelier 1st Degree certification setting the stage for a well-rounded culinary career.

Kickstarting his professional cooking career at the age of 23, Gibaja took his talents to San Sebastian, Spain’s Three-star Michelin Azark Restaurant where he worked as a Sous Chef de Partie. He quickly parlayed his European experience into a role as Sous Chef at Philadelphia’s famed Park Hyatt Hotel where he brought his Mexican culinary flair to the XIX Century Restaurant. Full of Mediterranean knowledge and Mexican heritage Jesús had and outstanding performance in the US.

Although his talents were appreciated in his kitchens, his charm and charisma propelled him in front of the camera as a “Celebrity Chef” TV host for nearly 16 years at Televisa Worldwide. In that time, he holds the record for most Spanish content for television cooking shows and was featured on popular Mexico shows like “La Cocina De Los Pueblos Magicos”, “Hoy”, “Hogar Express”, “México de mil Sabores” “Las netas con Gibaja”, “Del mercado al plato” “Oye al chef” and more.

Due his passion and notable effort to dignify the kitchen he was invited in 2009 to be a member as a Cavallier of ¨Academie Culinaire de France¨ by the president Chef Gerard Dupont and chef Guy Santoro.

With a couple of restaurant development projects under his belt in Mexico over the years, Gibaja was recruited to be the Culinary Director and Head Chef at Seva Table inside Dubai’s Jumeirah 1. After building out the restaurant and menu concepts, he led the restaurant team to a subsequent “Best Café in Dubai 2021” nomination. However missing “home,” Gibaja was lured back to Mexico to helm the award-winning farm-to-table restaurant at San Jose del Cabo’s Acre Resort, a unique oasis on a 25 acre working farm where 70% of the restaurant’s menu comes straight from the property’s bounty.

His kitchen skills have the faithful conviction of improving the quality of life through food, while making Mexicans feel proud of their gastronomical heritage. He rightfully believes that food is the impetus to bring people together; something he now gets to witness nightly in Acre’s wildly popular restaurant.

As Romantic he is and moved by love he is moving to Mallorca in order to getting married with Isadora the love of his life and create a home.