50 Best Latin America: Peru shines again in prestigious restaurant ranking

This was a special edition, and in it Peru also shone. This Monday, November 22, the Central restaurant by Virgilio Martínez and Pía León was recognized as The Greatest Restaurant in Latin America 2013-2021, while Maido, by Mitsuharu Tsumura, stood out in position 2 on the Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2021 list. Gastón Acurio, owner of Astrid & Gastón , also celebrated position 4 in which the restaurant that he opened 27 years ago with his wife, Astrid Gutsche, is located. Under the concept “Past and Future”, this selection made a retrospective look at the eight previous editions (from 2013 to 2020) to recognize in times of pandemic the work of a sector that, although hit, has known how to persevere in the objectives of innovation and creativity , but also to defend a gastronomy with its own identity and based on local products of great value.

The announcement was broadcast online, connecting venues in different cities in the region, where face-to-face meetings were held that allowed gastronomic communities from six countries to meet again in Oaxaca, Bogotá, Quito, Sao Paulo, Lima, Mendoza and Santiago de Chile . About 150 guests arrived at the brand new auditorium of the new Convention Center of the Catholic University, in San Isidro, who had to show their double vaccination card to access the event, organized in compliance with the required health protocols. Since October 2019, when the last pre-pandemic ceremony was held in Buenos Aires, there were no eternal hugs, overflowing smiles and moments of great camaraderie as this day was experienced.

Other Peruvians on the list – which rose to 100 mentions from 50 this year – were La Mar (13), Osso (17), Rafael (20), Isolina (24), Fiesta (39), La Picanteria (46), Kjolle (52), Mayta (56), Mil (61), Cosme (69), El Mercado (71), Mérito (78) and Costanera 700 (96). In addition, two Peruvian restaurants in Buenos Aires stood out: Osaka in position 80 and La Mar in 87.

Good star

Since its first edition, in Lima in 2013, Peru has led this ranking of the best restaurants: Astrid & Gastón won the first year, Central the following three years, and Maido was number one in 2017, 2018 and 2019. In 2020, When the first virtual ceremony was held, Don Julio, from Argentina, was announced as the winner on the grill.

At last night’s ceremony, special recognitions were also awarded. The award to Best Female Chef 2021 The young Bolivian Marsia Taha won it, from the Gustu restaurant, in La Paz. The Icon award went to two Brazilians: historian Adriana Salay and Mocotó chef Rodrigo Oliveira, who created the NGO Quebrada Alimentada in 2020, with which they served more than 80,000 meals to hungry people in Sao Paulo.

Due to the originality of its proposal, Anafe (Buenos Aires) was announced as the One to Watch restaurant, while the Chefs’ Choice award for the best reinvention of the year went to Eduardo García, from the Máximo restaurant in Mexico City. Other highlights of the night were the Art of Hospitality awards, awarded to the boys from Celele in Cartagena; and Sustainable restaurant for Corrutela, from Sao Paulo.