Isabel Coss

Chef Isabel Coss, a Mexico City native, is the The Popal Group’s Executive Chef of Pascual and Executive Pastry Chef of Lutèce in Washington, DC. She is one of FOOD & WINE’s Best New Chefs in America (2023), a 2025 James Beard “Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic” semifinalist, and one of the “100 Latino Leaders in the U.S.” Originally trained as a ballerina, Coss began baking at 17 at Pujol and went on to leadership in top kitchens across the country including Cosme, Empellón, and Agern.

At Pascual, a Mexican hearth-focused restaurant co-founded with her spouse, Chef Matt Conroy, and The Popal Group, Coss draws inspiration from her Mexican roots. The restaurant has earned accolades from The New York Times, Eater, and The Washington Post as one of the top new restaurants in America (2024). At Lutèce, her pastry work has helped earn national acclaim from The New York Times and RESY.