the peruvian restaurant Central was consecrated as the second best in the world in the recent edition of The World’s 50 Bestthe gala in which the best of international cuisine is celebrated and in which, for several years now, Peruvian food has had a privileged place.
From London, Virgilio Martínez, the chef responsible for the famous restaurant, celebrated the news that, he considers, is a reward for the work of the team he leads with his wife, Pía León, but also a demonstration that “very important” things can be done in the country.
“Moving up to second place following being in 50th place, go figure! This for us is the merit of the work. We have been quite disciplined, we have tried to see the positive out of everything negative and we feel that this is also an example that we Peruvians can do very important things for our country and our identity,” the chef told “El Comercio.”
For Martínez, showing Peru, through its cuisine, as a country with “culture”, “tradition” and “innovation” is important, because it leaves a message that “transcends”.
“To those who today feel that it is not possible, let them know that there is the possibility of doing things that transcend and I feel that this transcends because it benefits many people with whom we work and with whom we connect,” explained Martínez, who , following the blow that the pandemic represented in 2020, it returned with its restaurants in Peru: Kjolle, Mil and Central, but it also opened a new establishment in Japan and is getting ready to do the same in Singapore.
“But we never got our heads out of Central and the results can be seen because we also have a wonderful team. I thank my team, I thank my family, those who voted for us, those who trust us, those who support us… I thank everyone who has supported us”, concluded Martínez.
You can relive the announcement ceremony here:
This was the performance of Peruvian restaurants compared to other restaurants in Latin America:
| COUNTRY | NUMBER OF RESTAURANTS IN THE TOP 50 | RESTAURANTS AND STAND |
|---|---|---|
| Colombia | 1 | LEO (48) |
| Brazil | 1 | Oteque (47) |
| Chile | 1 | Borago (43) |
| Argentina | 1 | Don Julio (14) |
| Mexico | 2 | Quintonil (9), Pujol (5) |
| Peru | 3 | Mayta (32), Maido (11), Central (2) |
| Brazil | 1 | The pig’s house (8) |
These are the 10 best restaurants in the world in 2022:
Rank 10: The Grille (Italia).
Position 9: Quintonil (Mexico).
Rank 8: Gardone Riviera (Italy).
Position 7: The house of the pig (Brazil).
Position 6: Asador Etxebarri (Spain).
Position 5: Pujol (Mexico)- Best of North America.
Position 4: Divergence (Spain).
Position 3: Enjoy (Spain).
Position 2: Center (Peru).
Position 1: Geranium (Dinamarca).
Also…
special city
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants gala celebrated its 20th anniversary in London, its venue from 2003 to 2015 before it traveled to New York, Melbourne (Australia), Bilbao (Spain) and Singapore and the pandemic break.
