Meet the Chefs

Jose Azofeifa runs the Iguana Lodge Rancho kitchen – and has for over nineteen years. We met him two weeks after moving here, and he has been with us ever since.  

Jose came to us as a chef. He and his family had been gold miners on the Osa, and when the park was formed, Jose and his brothers were offered the opportunity to learn a skill: lucky for us he chose cooking! He was the head chef at Lapa Rios for several years, and has worked for us ever since we arrived. He has the remarkable ability to cook cuisines from around the world and make them pop, even though he has never sampled any of it. Incredible!

La Macha (Maria Elena) runs our breakfast kitchen – served at the Garden Veranda at the Rancho.  La Macha is one of fourteen children, raised near Carate – she is an incredible human being.  Her brother, Chico, is our gardener extraordinaire – and their mother has a finca (i.e. ‘farm’) – and supplies us with fresh coconut water every morning, and pineapples, papayas and platanos. La Macha’s specialities include fresh pastries each morning (think mango or pineapple scones), eggs benedict, huevos rancheros and banana crepes.

Maribeth Cedeno and Oliver Mora run the kitchen at The Pearl of the Osa Beach Bar & Grill.  

Maribeth grew up on the other side of the Golfo Dulce with no road access. Her mother is a great chef as well.  Oliver Mora and his family live in town – Oliver’s mother is one of the seamstresses used by Iguana Lodge.  

We have all worked together for years.  As each chef in their own right is talented, we have worked together well to craft interesting fresh, delicious menus.  Yay!  Check out our menus here.