Our Story

At SOMOS Ecuadorian born, globally inspired is both motto and shorthand for Chef Alejandra Espinoza’s creative trajectory. Born and bred in Quito, she spent several formative years living in France, first with her family as part of a diplomatic corps, and later as a culinary student at the prestigious Institut Paul Bocuse in Lyon.

After working under several Michelin-starred chefs in France, Espinoza moved to the United States in 2014 and immersed herself in San Francisco’s pop-up restaurant scene. It was there that the vision for SOMOS came into full view.

Chef Alejandra moved to Quito in 2018 along with her husband, Signo Uddenberg, to start SOMOS along with her brother, Alonso Espinoza.

“In the U.S. I worked alongside chefs that valued seasonality, locality and globalism. We have the most incredible natural bounty, and such a distinct culinary tradition here in Ecuador. I wanted to take everything I learned abroad and move our own culinary expression forward,” says Espinoza

Our Story

“In the U.S. I worked alongside chefs that valued seasonality, locality and globalism. We have the most incredible natural bounty, and such a distinct culinary tradition here in Ecuador. I wanted to take everything I learned abroad and move our own culinary expression forward,” says Espinoza

ALEJANDRA ESPINOZA