ALEJANDRO RUIZ is the chef and owner of the Casa Oaxaca restaurants (El Restaurante, Café & Restaurante, and the Casa Oaxaca hotel) and Oaxacalifornia, in Oaxaca, Mexico, as well as of Guzina Oaxaca in Mexico City. He is widely known as an ambassador for Oaxacan gastronomy and has represented this celebrated cuisine around the world. He lives in Oaxaca.