only Two new chefs With a Michelin star at a ceremony that coincidentally took place on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Only two spaces with a feminine signature from 25 Who got the distinction.
On Tuesday, November 25, the 2026 Red Guide awarded a star to Cristina Jimenez And Diego Aguilar from Granada Restaurant hemactually Cristina Canovasl Baludolocated in MalagaThe city that hosted the great gastronomy festival.
Along with them also exhibited famous Elena Arzakhistorical chef livelihoodsand Esther ManzanoThe first Asturian woman to receive a Michelin star for her restaurant La Salgar Guijon, and the Trestrellado cook. Marcia’s houseto (La Salgar, Asturias). Both have re-verified the three stars in their establishments.
Visibly excited and “nervous”, as she herself admitted, Canovas thanked “the Michelin Guide and all her colleagues” live on air for this new recognition, while Jiménez wrote on her restaurant’s social networks that this star “inspires them.” Keep cooking with your heart“.
However, beyond the enthusiasm of the moment, it remains surprising that only two women received two stars in the 2026 guide. The five restaurants that achieved two stars All men. The same goes for the five green stars and four special awards (dining room, sommelier, young chef, and mentor chef): Men, Men and More Men.
In reality, Only 33 restaurants out of 290 restaurants Which was awarded a star in 2025 has a woman as head chef, representing a 11.3% of the total number of award-winning establishments, as pointed out by Antonio Cancilla, Michelin’s statistician. “I think this is a very small percentage of star chefs,” he laments.
Cristina Canovas and Diego Aguilar, of Paludo, received their first Michelin star.
Michelin guide
At least there are no losses to regret: among 11 restaurants Who lost their star in this edition, there is no woman responsible. However, the visibility of women in haute cuisine is still very limited, which shows the challenge that still exists in the gastronomic sector.
This low representation of women award winners also occurs in other countries Europe and latin americaalthough, fortunately, every year new outstanding chefs appear who little by little manage to increase the short muscles of the guide.