Laura Ozyilmaz

Executive Chef

Originally from Mexico, Laura has been immersed in the culinary world since an early age. She attended Centro Culinario Ambrosia in Mexico City and continued her education at New York’s Culinary Institute of America (CIA). Following her time at CIA, she worked at prestigious restaurants Café Boulud, Mugaritz in San Sebastian, Spain, while simultaneously enrolling at the Basque Culinary Center. Upon her graduation from the CIA, Laura accepted an offer at Eleven Madison Park in New York City and later at Del Posto. In San Francisco, where Laura joined Saison’s team.

In 2017 Laura and her husband Sayat started a successful pop-up restaurant called Istanbul Modern and later was recognized as a rising star Chef for her restaurant Noosh in 2019. She continued to focus on her business doing private events, consulting and teaching classes part time at The Culinary Institute of America.

Shortly after opening Dalida, Laura competed—and made it to the final four—in season 21 of Bravo’s Top Chef, dazzling judges with creative dishes like a hop-infused rice pudding and a dessert spread that brought together maraş, baklava, meringue, and an array of other components and sauces.

With this new restaurant, she is thrilled to be creating a community around what she loves to do, especially in such a beautiful and multifaceted location. Outside of the kitchen, she has spent three years building a yoga practice and enjoys running through the national park site that is now home to Dalida.