San Salvador, El Salvador — At a glittering inaugural Fine Dining Table International Gala hosted at El Salvador’s iconic National Palace, celebrated Dominican culinary icon Inés Páez Nin, universally known across the Caribbean and Latin America as Chef Tita, claimed two landmark international accolades that cement her status as a leading guardian of Dominican culinary heritage. Held as the flagship event of Fine Dining Week El Salvador 2026, the regional gathering brought together 508 nominated restaurants and unique gastronomic experiences spanning 16 nations across Latin America, Spain, and the United States for a sweeping industry recognition program. The gala’s most prestigious award, the Tres Fuegos distinction from the Los Fuegos 2026 ranking, was bestowed upon Chef Tita’s flagship establishment Aguají by Chef Tita, marking the first Dominican restaurant to earn the elite tier honor. Reserved exclusively for dining experiences deemed capable of leaving an enduring, cross-generational legacy on global gastronomy, the Tres Fuegos designation evaluates far more than just culinary execution: judges assessed eight holistic criteria including culinary creativity, hospitality standards, service precision, spatial design, cultural identity, ambient atmosphere, operational consistency, and the lasting emotional resonance of the full guest journey. Aguají now stands alongside a rarefied cohort of world-renowned Latin American gastronomy leaders, including Peru’s Central and Maido, Chile’s Boragó, Argentina’s Don Julio, and Colombia’s Leo, placing Dominican fine dining on the global culinary map for the first time at this elite ranking level. Beyond the restaurant’s award, the gala jury also honored Chef Tita individually for her 20-plus years of relentless dedication to elevating Dominican cuisine, through her work reviving and reimagining long-overlooked ancestral recipes, prioritizing hyper-local, domestically sourced ingredients, and safeguarding the island nation’s centuries-old culinary traditions. Operating through both her award-winning restaurant and the non-profit IMA Foundation she founded, Chef Tita has built far-reaching collaborative initiatives that bridge the world of haute cuisine directly to small-scale local farmers, artisanal fishermen, independent craftspeople, and marginalized rural communities, leveraging gastronomy as a powerful engine for inclusive economic growth and equitable social development across the Dominican Republic. Speaking to reporters in the aftermath of the dual honors, an emotional Chef Tita noted, “We continue to pave the way for Dominican Republic gastronomy, and that fills me with great pride.” The dual recognitions position both Aguají and Chef Tita at the forefront of a new generation of global culinary ambassadors, who are bringing the rich, layered flavors and distinct cultural identity of the Dominican Republic to an international audience of food lovers and industry leaders.
Chef Tita and Aguají earn top honors at Fine Dining Table International Gala
