Colombian chef María Cecilia Restrepo, known as Aja Chechi, received an award in Turkey for a dish featuring kibbeh, a traditional Middle Eastern preparation that has found a place of its own in Colombian Caribbean cuisine. During the GastroAntep festival, held in Gaziantep, the chef presented a dish combining this traditional bite with black corn arepas de huevo, paying tribute to the fried food stalls that are part of Colombia’s Caribbean coastal culture.
Restrepo was the only woman among the contestants, who included chefs from Lebanon, Spain and Greece, as well as the winner of the Turkish version of MasterChef. In this international competition, the Colombian chef highlighted the flavors, techniques and culinary traditions of Colombia’s Caribbean region.
The achievement provided an opportunity to showcase traditional Colombian cuisine on an international stage through ingredients and dishes closely linked to the region’s gastronomic identity.
Black corn arepas de huevo and kibbeh: The Colombian chef’s winning dish at the Turkish gastronomy competition
Restrepo’s creation paid tribute to the traditional fried food stalls that are emblematic of Colombian Caribbean popular culture. These stalls offer specialties such as arepas de huevo, empanadas, carimañolas and other fried snacks that are part of everyday life in the region.
For the competition in Turkey, the chef chose two preparations that reflect the diversity of her culinary approach: arepas de huevo made with black corn and kibbeh, a dish associated with Middle Eastern culinary traditions that has become established in different parts of the Colombian Caribbean.
One distinctive detail of her participation was that Restrepo brought the black corn dough she used for her dish all the way from Colombia. This allowed her to work with a key ingredient in her creation and present a dish connected to the flavors and traditions she wanted to represent.
The combination of these elements also reflects the chef’s culinary background, which is characterized by blending Middle Eastern influences with traditional Caribbean ingredients and recipes. In an interview published by the Colombian newspaper El Universal in May 2026, the publication highlighted this blend of cultural roots as one of the defining features of her cuisine.
An unexpected turn during her participation in GastroAntep
Restrepo’s victory came as a surprise. According to a video she shared on social media, she had not initially expected to take part in a cooking competition. She thought the event would simply involve preparing a dish live, without realizing that she would be competing against other chefs for first place.
The event ultimately became an international culinary challenge. Facing the other four contestants, the Colombian chef presented her tribute to the Caribbean’s traditional fried food stalls and saw her creation selected as the winner.
GastroAntep takes place in Gaziantep, a Turkish city renowned for its culinary traditions. The 2026 edition ran from Oct. 3 to 11, featuring activities designed to promote the region’s gastronomic heritage and bring together culinary professionals and food enthusiasts. The festival has become a platform for showcasing local cuisine while encouraging exchanges among chefs from different backgrounds.
Who is Maria Cecilia Restrepo, known as Aja Chechi?
Maria Cecilia Restrepo has developed a culinary style that brings together her Middle Eastern and Caribbean roots. Her interest in cooking began during childhood, influenced by her maternal grandmother, who was of Syrian descent and passed down family recipes and culinary knowledge. Over time, this heritage became an essential part of her gastronomic identity.
On social media, where she goes by Aja Chechi, she shares recipes, personal experiences and content related to the cuisine of Colombia’s Caribbean coast. Her work stands out for its combination of ingredients, techniques and dishes from different traditions, while maintaining a strong connection to the flavors of the Colombian Caribbean.
Her career includes participation in gastronomic festivals and culinary projects in Colombia. She has also developed her own food venture in Cartagena, where her dishes reflect the relationship between family traditions, Middle Eastern influences and the region’s culinary customs.
Her victory in Turkey adds a new milestone to that journey and brings Colombian Caribbean cuisine to an international audience. Through a dish combining kibbeh and black corn arepas de huevo, Restrepo showcased how culinary traditions shaped by different cultures can come together in a single creation and earn recognition on the international stage.