1148: Ilma Lopez, Chef/Co-Owner of Chaval and Ugly Duckling

Ilma Lopez is from Venezuela and moved to the US in 2001 to go to school. She ended up going to culinary school in NYC and worked there for high profile chefs like Daniel Boulud and others. She worked in Spain for a year and then worked a cruise ship for a year as well. She and her husband moved to 2011 and opened their first restaurant, Piccolo, in 2013. She then opened Chaval and closed Piccolo in 2020. Ugly Duckling was opened in 2023. The two restaurants gross 2 million in revenue.

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Contact the guest:

• Ugly Duckling website: https://www.uglyducklingmaine.com
• Chaval website: https://www.chavalmaine.com

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