Advisory Board Member Mauricio Fraga's Restaurants Recognized in the Michelin Guide

Written by Maritza Lizama The Latino Executive Network (LEN) celebrates Advisory Board member Mauricio Fraga, whose restaurants — El Secreto de Rosita and Nabiha Palestina — have earned recognition in the Michelin Guide.

For many in Washington's hospitality world, it simply confirms what the city has known for decades.

Mauricio has been a defining figure in Washington's restaurant and nightlife scene for more than 30 years. Through iconic venues like Chi-Cha Lounge, Maté, Susheria, Ceviche, Guarapo, Yaku, and Agua Ardiente, he helped shape the city's modern dining culture, building spaces where food, music, and community converged long before "concept restaurant" became a buzzword.

His newest restaurants carry that legacy forward. El Secreto de Rosita, opened on U Street in 2021, celebrates authentic Peruvian street food led by Chef Kike Espinoza, who grew up in Lima and learned to cook on a street food cart alongside his grandmother. Nabiha Palestina, created with his wife and partner Nesrin Abaza, offers a deeply personal expression of Palestinian cuisine and culture.

Both reflect the through-line of Mauricio's' career: bold hospitality, cultural storytelling, and a belief that restaurants can bring people together across communities, a belief he has extended to LEN, generously opening his doors to host our events over the years.

LEN is proud to celebrate this recognition and the enduring influence Mauricio brings to Washington's culinary and cultural life and the impact Mauricio continues to make in our community.

Photo courtesy of Forbes Ecuador