Virgilio Martínez
🇵🇪 Peru · Peruvian cuisine · b. 1977
The Lima chef whose Central traces Peru's ecosystems by altitude — from sea level to the high Andes.
Biography
Virgilio Martínez is a Lima-born chef whose restaurant Central reached #1 on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list in 2023 — the first Latin American restaurant ever to top the ranking. Trained at Le Cordon Bleu and in restaurants across the Americas, Europe and Asia, he opened Central in 2008 and built its tasting menu around a concept he calls 'altitudes': each course represents a specific Peruvian ecosystem at a specific altitude, from sea-level fish dishes to high-Andes potatoes and tubers above 4,000 metres.
With his sister Malena Martínez he runs Mater Iniciativa, a research kitchen and biodiversity laboratory that documents Peruvian indigenous ingredients across the country's astonishing range of climates and altitudes — coast, jungle, Amazon, sierra, puna.
He also runs Mil, a research-driven restaurant at 3,500 metres next to the Inca site of Moray, and Kjolle, in the same Lima building as Central, run by his wife Pía León (also a globally recognised chef).
Cooking Philosophy
Peru by altitude and ecosystem. Martínez argues that Peruvian cuisine is best understood not as a single tradition but as the cuisines of dozens of ecosystems — coastal, jungle, sierra, puna — each with its own ingredients, techniques and indigenous food cultures. His menus are built as journeys through those ecosystems.
Restaurants
- CentralLima
World's #1 restaurant 2023 (50 Best); 'altitudes' tasting menu.
- MilMoray, Sacred Valley, Peru
Research restaurant at 3,500m next to the Inca terraces of Moray.
- KjolleLima
Run by Pía León, Martínez's wife; modern Peruvian.
Awards & Recognition
- World's 50 Best Restaurants #1 (2023)
- Latin America's Best Restaurant (multiple)
- Sustainable Restaurant Award (50 Best)
Iconic Dishes
Cookbooks
- Central
- The Latin American Cookbook
Signature Recipes Inspired by Virgilio
Original recipes we created as homages to Virgilio's cooking style and signature dishes. Not direct reproductions of any copyrighted material — these are our interpretations of the traditions Virgilio has worked with throughout their career.
Recipes in Virgilio's Style
These recipes from our database reflect the peruvian cooking tradition that Virgilio works in. They are not direct reproductions of Virgilio's copyrighted recipes, but traditional dishes inspired by the same culinary heritage.
Career Timeline
Graduates from Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa and London; begins working in restaurants across Europe and Asia.
Returns to Lima and opens Central in the Miraflores district.
Restructures Central around the 'altitudes' tasting-menu concept, with co-chef Pía León (his wife).
Central enters the top 5 of the World's 50 Best Restaurants.
Opens Mil at 3,500 metres next to the Inca terraces of Moray, in the Sacred Valley.
Featured on Netflix's 'Chef's Table' season 5.
Central is named the World's Best Restaurant by The 50 Best — the first Latin American restaurant ever to top the list.
Frequently Asked Questions about Virgilio Martínez
What is Central's tasting menu about?
Central's tasting menu is structured around 'altitudes' — each course represents a specific Peruvian ecosystem at a specific altitude, from coastal sea-level dishes to high-Andes ingredients found above 4,000 metres. The menu is essentially a culinary journey through Peru's ecosystems.
Was Central really the world's best restaurant?
Yes — in 2023 Central was ranked #1 in The World's 50 Best Restaurants, the first Latin American restaurant ever to top the list. Sister restaurant Kjolle (run by Martínez's wife Pía León) and Mil in the Sacred Valley have also received major international recognition.
What is Mater Iniciativa?
Mater Iniciativa is the research kitchen and biodiversity laboratory Martínez runs with his sister Malena Martínez. It documents Peruvian indigenous ingredients across the country's climates and altitudes — coast, jungle, Amazon, sierra, puna — and feeds that research into the menus at Central, Kjolle and Mil.
What is Mil?
Mil is Martínez's research-driven restaurant in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, sited at 3,500 metres above sea level next to the Moray archaeological complex. Diners can also tour the surrounding fields and the kitchen-laboratory, where Mater Iniciativa documents Andean tubers, grains and herbs.
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