Girls' Night | San Antonio, TX. | October 8

Chef Sofía Sada is a Monterrey, Nuevo León–born chef, educator, entrepreneur, and former professional soccer player who represented Mexico with the Mexican National Team. With 25+ years in the restaurant and culinary industry, Sofia is a fine-dining trained chef and former Executive Chef of restaurants that would later receive Michelin recognition, while her cooking continually returns to her northern Mexican roots, live fire, and outdoor cooking. She is a Professor at The Culinary Institute of America, holds a Master’s in Food Business from the CIA, is ProChef III certified, a professional butcher, and has been certified by the American Meat Science Association (AMSA). A seven-time Best Chef in San Antonio honoree by San Antonio Magazine and the San Antonio Current, she is also a NorteñoFest First Place Champion and has earned recognition in competitions including the Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival and Lone Star Tapas Competition, among others. As a UNESCO San Antonio City of Gastronomy Chef Ambassador and international culinary conference presenter, Sada has traveled from Spain and Cannes to California, New York, Paris and Asia, sharing the ingredients, techniques, and culinary heritage of Mexico and South Texas with audiences around the world. She is also Chef and Owner of Sofía Sada Culinary Experiences, where fine-dining technique, education, and her lifelong connection to cooking over fire come together.

Originally from Monterrey, Alejandro Gutiérrez holds a degree in Industrial Design from Tec de Monterrey. Driven by his lifelong passion for live-fire cooking, he co-founded Mexico's first national barbecue championship in 2012, which led to founding the Sociedad Mexicana de Parrilleros (SMP) in 2013 to preserve and celebrate Mexican fire-cooking traditions.

Under his leadership, SMP has grown into Mexico’s largest grilling community, with 10+ chapters, premier workshops, catering, and over 500 branded products.

A world-class competitor with the Mexico BBQ Team, Alejandro achieved 2nd place in the Shoulder category at Memphis in May 2021—making them the first Latin American team on the podium—and 3rd place in Beef in 2022. Through SMP, he continues to create unforgettable experiences and connect people around the fire.