Self-taught owner, cookbook author and chef Isabel Cruz brings her culinary Latin heritage front and center, adding to it the Asian influence she absorbed while growing up in Los Angeles.

You can feel the passion that goes into each surprising new flavor combination, resulting in the bold and exotic – and surprisingly healthy- menu choices she proudly serves.

For more than two decades, customers have lined up outside the doors of west coast chef Isabel Cruz’s three popular restaurants. Cruz, who is known for her innovative and healthy twist on traditional Latin fare, balances her ingredients to cook the delicious food that she, her family, and her restaurant patrons love.

Her new cookbook, The Latin Table (Skyhorse Publishing), is full of simple, easy-to-make recipes with the Latin flavors you’ll love producing in your own kitchen, while keeping her foods flavorful and health-conscious. In The Latin Table, Cruz shares her signature recipes and award-winning cocktails, like the featured hibiscus mimosa and tamales in our Adventure, teaching home chefs how to easily prepare flavorful Latin meals at home.