The much-anticipated 2022 edition of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants, sponsored by S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, sees Central bag the No.1 spot on annual ranking for the first time since 2016. Virgilio Martínez and Pía León’s celebrated Lima destination is hailed as The Best Restaurant in Latin America at an emotional post-pandemic reunion of the gastronomic community in Mérida, Mexico
As it returns to the gastronomic summit at Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022, Central can now be judged the most influential and important Latin American restaurant of its generation – and possibly of all time. By triumphing at the 10th edition of the annual awards, the Peruvian favourite cements its reputation for brilliance and innovation, but also for demonstrating constant evolution and enduring hospitality.
And yet co-owners Virgilio Martínez and Pía León remain as humble and grounded as when Martínez opened Central in 2008, and employed the talented young chef León shortly thereafter. “When we hear we are number one, the first thing that comes into our mind is the people back home in Lima – all those who are involved in every detail of our restaurant and our projects, in the garden, in the kitchen, everywhere,” says Martínez..jpg)
A selection of dishes from Central's menu, which is named Mundo Mater
“We were very surprised,” adds León, “because I think it’s been six years… [since Central was last voted number one]. It is emotional, of course, because this is a great celebration of Latin American gastronomy as a whole.”
The couple have maintained Central’s relevance and popularity by combining a one-of-a-kind dining experience with deep understanding of their country’s ingredients, exploration of its biodiversity and revival of historic techniques. The restaurant’s unique menu is founded on the work carried out by its research-driven Mater Iniciativa project, led by Martínez’s sister, Malena, who says: “The restaurant has changed so much over the years. We have so many projects going on but we are motivated every day and we hope and believe that we keep getting better.”
Diners can expect dishes featuring scallops, squid and clams fresh from the Pacific and the Amazon and pork belly and goat’s neck from the Sacred Valley, along with myriad indigenous herbs, flowers, tubers and more. In the process, the team has elevated Peruvian gastronomy to new heights and inspired a fresh generation of chefs to utilise and celebrate their own countries’ biodiversity, heritage and culture.
“We are super involved in research and innovation, but it is hospitality and, most of all, consistency that is important – it’s part of the Central DNA,” says Martínez, reflecting on the restaurant’s enduring success. “We see challenges and opportunities every day. And when we can help put smiles on people’s faces, the people we are working with as well as our guests, that is the motivation.”.jpg)
Pía León and Virgilio Martínez run restaurants Central, Kjolle and Mil in Peru
Central is joined in the top three of the 2022 ranking by Don Julio in Buenos Aires (No.2) and fellow Lima restaurant Maido (No.3). Ten new establishments enter the list for the first time, including Diacá in Guatemala City (No.47), winner of the Flor de Caña Sustainable Restaurant Award, and Fauna in Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe (No.13), which bags the Highest New Entry Award. The forward-thinking Jonatan Gómez Luna of Le Chique in Cancun is named winner of the Estrella Damm Chefs’ Choice Award, voted for by his industry peers, while Argentinian restaurateur Pablo Rivero is the first recipient of the Beronia Latin America’s Best Sommelier title.
The Academy of voters has now been expanded to 300 experts from across Latin America, voting for their finest restaurant experiences. The inaugural list of restaurants ranked between 51st and 100th, presented in association with American Express, also makes it debut this year, shining a light on the diverse culinary cultures of the region..jpg)
The interior of Central, located in Lima, Peru
Others celebrated institutions such as Pujol in Mexico City, D.O.M. in São Paulo and Boragó in Santiago must also be credited for having pushed Latin American cuisines and culture to the fore internationally, while simultaneously helping write their respective countries’ contemporary culinary narratives.
But the ultimate accolades belong to a team that not only oversees Central, but also runs two other restaurants that feature in this year’s ranking: Kjolle in Lima and Mil in the mountains near Cusco. Having first topped this poll of experts back in 2014 – and been named the greatest restaurant of the decade in last year’s pandemic-induced retrospective list, Pasado y Futuro – Central has undoubtedly earned a permanent place in the pantheon of Peruvian gastronomy, alongside fellow Lima restaurants Astrid y Gastón (indeed, Gastón Acurio was very much a mentor to Martínez early in his career) and Maido, the arch exponent of Nikkei cuisine.
“We know we are now role models for the next generation,” concludes Martínez. “But that just helps inspire us.”
The list of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna, was announced on Tuesday 15th November. Follow us on Instagram, like us on Facebook, find us on Twitter, tag #LatAm50Best and subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest news.
