Fernanda Fuentes-Cárdenas, the first Chilean chef to receive a Michelin star, earned this prestigious recognition for her restaurant Nub in Tenerife, which she co-owns with her husband, Chef Andrea Bernardi. Born in Quilpué, Chile, she was surrounded by diverse flavors from an early age, influenced by her parents and grandmothers.
At 18, she began cooking spontaneously and later studied Gastronomic Administration at Inacap. After graduation, she worked at the now-closed Rai in Santiago and moved to Spain in 2011, where she settled in Tenerife to work with Andrea Bernardi. Together, they opened a gastrobar before launching Nub in 2016, a restaurant that blends Chilean and Italian cuisine using local Tenerife ingredients. In 2017, Nub received a Michelin star, making Fernanda the first Chilean chef to achieve this honor. In addition to Nub, she co-owns Capogrossi, an Italian restaurant in Santiago, Chile.