New Delhi: The rich foundation of Indigenous food and crops, ecosystems, and most importantly – the fusion of it all, has helped Peru’s cuisine become a global brand. The crown of best restaurant in the world has been accorded to Lima’s Central.
In a ceremony on Tuesday night in Valencia, Spain, the Peruvian fine-dining restaurant Central took the first position. It is the first South American restaurant to bag the honour, while the other two Peruvian restaurants mentioned in the list are – Maido and Mayta.
Run by couple Virgilio Martinez and Pia Leon, Central was opened in 2008 to create a fine-dining experience using authentic Peruvian ingredients. Pia Leon, who is also the chef of the restaurant, has her own restaurant, Kjolle, which ranked 28th this year.
Central’s dynamic menu features ingredients from Peru’s diverse landscape and notes the latitude of each dish, from potatoes sourced at the heights of the Andes mountains to sea urchin from the ocean.
Martinez and Leon wanted to provide an experience that ranged across Peru’s vast geography. The menu consists of 15 different Peruvian altitudes and showcases the origins of their 180-plus ingredients. Leon said that every country has something unique about their food, and in Peru’s case, “it is the confidence and security we have in our food.”
Director of content for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, William Drew, presented the award to the winning couple. “The whole team had truly paved the way in celebrating indigenous ingredients through their innovative dishes and warm hospitality,” he said.
According to The World’s 50 Best website, Martinez and Leon represent Peruvian flavours on a global level with different restaurants in Moscow, Tokyo, and Mexico. They also have a robust research division, headed by Martinez’s sister, Malena. “It is not about being number 1. It is about what we do. We love what we do”, said Martinez after receiving the award.
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