In 2012, Jorge decided to work on his own, and alongside his wife Alejandra Flores, he opened Quintonil, the bastion where, for the last thirteen years, the couple has established a permanent dialogue with the memory and the present of Mexican culinary tradition, achieving their own personal cuisine, this vision has earned Quintonil third place on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, recognition as the Best Restaurant in North America, and two Michelin stars awarded in 2025.

Vallejo has also received the Estrella Damm Chefs’ Choice Award 2022, the only award granted through direct voting of the chefs from The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. The selected chef is considered by his peers as the most influential today in the field of world gastronomy. This distinction has positioned Jorge Vallejo alongside notable chefs such as Alain Passard, Dan Barber, Virgilio Martínez, Joan Roca, Daniel Humm, Alex Atala, Grant Achatz, Andoni Luis Aduriz, Massimo Bottura, Heston Blumenthal, René Redzepi, Pierre Gagnaire, Ferran Adrià and Víctor Arguinzoniz.