Written by:
peru.travel
Friday, June 23, 2023
On Tuesday, June 20th, with the Queen Sofia Palace of the Arts in Valencia as setting, The World's 50 Best Restaurants has named the Peruvian restaurant Central as the best in the world.
Since the inception of these awards in 2002, it is the first time that the best restaurant in the world is located in Latin America. Virgilio Martínez and Pía León, spouses, chefs, and owners of Central, have made history by receiving this recognition.
In 2013, Central was part of this important list for the first time, ranking at number 50. The following year, it made a big leap, reaching the 15th position. Since then, its presence has been constant. In 2022, it ranked second and was named as the best in Latin America.
Virgilio y Pía
To understand the Central's essence, it is enough to know the life story of this couple of chefs. Before meeting each other, they discovered their interest in the wonderful Peruvian cuisine. They dedicated their time to studying it in depth, traveling through Peru and discovering the marvelous products that each of its regions offers.
Once together, they did not stop until they placed Central in the well-deserved position it holds today. They both created a research area in the restaurant, called Mater Iniciativa, to explore Peruvian biodiversity. In this way, what they seek when elaborating the menu is to offer, to those who visit Peru for the first time, an experience to know the country through its cuisine.
The menu
Little by little, Virgilio and Pía have managed to create several tasting menus. Among them, we can mention the Experience territorio en desnivel and the Menú creatividad del día, both composed of 12 dishes, as well as the Experience mundo mater and Menú creatividad mundo with 14 dishes each one.
Part of the tasting menu offered at Central. Credit: Andina.
Their menu also includes wine, ferments and spirits pairings. The non-alcoholic experience is composed of nectars, infusions, and extracts with products from Mater Iniciativa.
Central is located in the district of Barranco, in the city of Lima. The food, lighting, and architecture of the place come together to provide an unforgettable and incomparable experience.
Other Peruvian restaurants on the list
The important list of The World's 50 Best Restaurants also includes three other Peruvian restaurants: Maido Nikkei Cuisine (ranked 6th), Kjolle (ranked 28th), and Mayta (ranked 47th).
About The World's 50 Best Restaurants
The World's 50 Best Restaurants ranking is a selection created in 2002 by the British magazine Restaurant. A panel of over a thousand gastronomy experts participates in the process through a structured and audited voting system.
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