Raised in Mexico City by her grandmother, Ana Castro learned early the importance of sourcing and preparing food. She traveled from India to Europe to New York to, ultimately, New Orleans, driven by her desire to learn from different cuisines and cultures. In New Orleans she worked her way to sous chef at Coquette and was named a finalist for a 2018 James Beard Foundation Rising Star Award. In 2021, Castro opened Lengua Madre, serving a five-course tasting menu inspired by her Mexican heritage and rooted in Southern American sensibilities. In 2022, Lengua was named one of Bon Appetit’s 50 Best New Restaurants in 2022, and Castro was hailed as one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs.