Victoria Blamey has been one of the most sought-after chefs in New York City for over a decade now. Her career started a world away, though.

Blamey, who was born in Santiago, Chile, traveled throughout London, Australia and Spain in the beginnings of her career, working her way through the kitchen (and the world) alongside some of the most recognizable names in international cuisine.

As her technical abilities grew — primarily within the realms of fish cookery and pastry — Blamey began to take on the States, working at restaurants in New York City before becoming the executive chef at Chumley's, a classic tavern, where she became well-known and celebrated for her bold takes on meat-forward dishes, both traditional and re-imagined.

After that, she cooked at Fulgurances Laundromat, a Brooklyn outpost of a successful Paris restaurant. Soon after, she opened MENA, which was an absolute hit with critics, but unfortunately ended up closing its doors after just six months in 2022. Blamey said she was not involved in the decision, which was made by the hospitality group that leased the restaurant space, who cited “financial reasons” factoring into the closure.

Not soon after that, though, Blamey and chef Carlo Mirachi happened to collaborate — and Blanca 2.0 was born.

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Mirachi is the executive chef and co-owner of Roberta’s — a nearly 15-year-old cult-favorite pizza stalwart that shares a space and address with Blanca — and his newest restaurant Foul Witch. In 2011, he won Food & Wine’s Best New Chef designation and his cooking was once deemed “kitchen poetry” by the New York Times.

He and Brandon Hoy originally opened Blanca in 2012. The restaurant secured two Michelin stars, but closed during the pandemic. It recently reopened earlier this spring with Blamey at the helm. In the intimate, 12-seat restaurant, Blamey serves an expertly crafted 18-course menu to great acclaim.

"This Bushwick counter has finally returned, and some things have not changed,” the Michelin guide noted. “You still have to walk through Roberta’s, past the roaring pizza ovens and through the backyard, to find this lofty space. The playlist is as high-energy as ever, and the mood is collectively lighthearted."

It continued: "The kitchen is now under the command of Chef Victoria Blamey, who brings her own style and story to this robust tasting menu. Oyster with kalamansi cream, Dungeness crab empanadas, and surf clams with nixtamalized sweet potato reflect wide-ranging inspiration; and something is always grilling, like dry-aged pheasant or grass-fed lamb."

Clearly, both Roberta's and Blanca are legendary restaurants putting out high-end food, just two sides of the same coin. As Forbes put it back in February in regards to their collaboration and the rebirth of Blanca after its temporary shuttering, the "stars have........

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