Jessica Rosval has reached the top of the culinary world. The Canadian-born chef, who has made Modena her home, has been named the World’s Best Female Chef 2026 at the World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony in Lima, Peru, held at the Teatro Municipal.

The recognition caps a remarkable rise for Rosval and for Al Gatto Verde, the restaurant she opened in September 2023 at Casa Maria Luigia, the country estate of chef Massimo Bottura and his wife, Lara Gilmore. The restaurant climbed from No. 92 to No. 24 on this year’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, gaining 68 places. The top spot went to Asador Etxebarri, in Spain’s Basque Country, led by chef Bittor Arginzoniz.

Rosval’s path to international recognition began when she left Canada to work at Bottura’s Osteria Francescana in Modena. Under his guidance, she developed a distinctive approach that brings together local traditions, international influences and a deep respect for ingredients.

At Al Gatto Verde, that approach takes shape through a menu built around the flavors of the Emilia-Romagna region: meat from the Apennines, seafood from the Adriatic and seasonal vegetables, interpreted with a creative sensibility that reaches beyond Italy.

The tasting menu, “Le Fiabe” (“The Fairy Tales”), draws inspiration from Italian folk stories. It is conceived as “a vivid landscape where lessons in courage, prudence and wonder blur the boundaries between what has been lived and what has been dreamed.”

The à la carte menu, “Miseria e Nobiltà” (“Poverty and Nobility”), offers a different journey through the region’s culinary heritage. Among its dishes is a hollow tortellino filled with wild mushroom ragù and truffles. A cart dedicated to smoked foods, accompanied by homemade condiments and bread made from burnt ends, brings another dimension to the experience.

But Rosval’s work extends well beyond the restaurant kitchen. In Modena, she has established her own vinegar cellar and founded AIW, the Association for the Integration of Women. She is also behind Roots, a restaurant that provides migrant women with professional training and opportunities to build careers in the food industry.

The World’s Best Female Chef award recognizes not only Rosval’s cooking but also her “vision, determination and entrepreneurial spirit.” Her work reflects a broader commitment to using food as a means of creating opportunity and bringing people together.

Away from the kitchen, Rosval embraces the Emilian philosophy of “Tòla Dòlza” — taking things slowly. At Casa Maria Luigia, that spirit comes to life through Sunday gatherings around the grill and days spent cooking over an open fire.

Al Gatto Verde now holds one Michelin star and a Michelin Green Star for its commitment to sustainability. Its rise to No. 24 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, alongside Rosval’s latest honor, confirms her place among the most influential figures in contemporary gastronomy.