Mitsuharu Tsumura after winning the 50 Best Latam 2023: “I look Japanese, but I represent Peru and Latin America”

After four years, Maidothe restaurant Mitsuharu Tsumurawas once again chosen the Best Restaurant in Latin America in the ranking Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurantswhich announced its chosen ones for 2023 this November 28 in a ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

In this way, the Peruvian restaurant took the lead from another renowned national cuisine: Central, which in 2022 obtained first place in the region and, in 2023, repeated the dish internationally, establishing itself as the Best restaurant in the world. This year, having already achieved the highest recognitions, Central did not participate again.

During a press conference after the announcement of the list, Mitsuharu Tsumura explained that the success of Peruvian cuisine responds to teamwork, initiated by Gastón Acurio. An example that other countries in the region have followed, which now also stand out in international rankings. Tsumura mentioned the work of Central American countries as an example.

“Peru was the country that started this movement, Gastón Acurio started this, making everyone work together and united. As Latin America begins to work together, more things will be achieved. In Peru we do it, we work together. No more than 15 or 20 years ago, the Peruvian did not know his cuisine, he did not care to know it to a certain extent. We have had to work hard, make alliances with universities, historians, the media… All this has landed in a Peruvian cuisine that began to develop before other cuisines in Latin America. Other countries have followed Peru’s example and that is wonderful,” declared Tsumura.

In the press conference that you can see on video at this link, Tsumura also highlighted the diversity of proposals from Peruvian chefs. “If you go to eat at Mayta, Central, Kjolle, Cosme, or any other Peruvian restaurant that is on this list, in all of those places you will have a different taste in your mouth. Each one has a style. That makes it very interesting. When you go to a restaurant, you happen to go to another and the flavor lines are similar. Here we are not alike at all, they are like several different worlds in the country and that makes it unique,” ​​explained the chef.

A recognized team

During the press conference, Mitsuharu Tsumura celebrated the fact that this year, in addition to the recognition of Maido, he had witnessed the recognition of Florencia Rey, part of the restaurant’s team, as the best sommelier in Latin America.

“I am very happy, because she always has the perfect combination. Flor’s recognition is well deserved, she is doing very important things with Peruvian distillates. Furthermore, when people know her and are with her at the table, she will always make you feel good,” Micha highlighted.

The chef considered that these awards for Maido come at an important time for the restaurant, which is undergoing several changes and is preparing more.

“This year (the award) has been especially exciting. I consider that in these last four years, Maido has had a fairly big change with respect to structure and a much more dedicated work oriented to the Peruvian product, to the regions of Peru. We want to value the cuisines of different parts of the country, we have an Amazonian menu, which is one of the menus that best blends with our cuisine,” commented Tsumura, who announced a remodeling for January 2024 and the creation of a research center.

“We are working on the infrastructure, by January 15 we are going to have a radical change in the restaurant, in terms of the structure of the premises. We are working a lot with research in the Amazon to have more river products and use them in cooking. A research center is coming in which we are working to be able to have experiences in cooking, within the Amazon itself, which is one of the most fascinating places,” said the renowned chef.

A 100% Peruvian chef

In the meeting with international media, Tsumura was asked if he considered that he also represented Japan through his cuisine, since it is Nikkei, that is, Peruvian-Japanese fusion. The chef’s response was a resounding no. “I represent Peru, I represent Latin America. I look Japanese, and I am very proud of my Japanese roots, I learned and worked in Japan, but I am 100% Peruvian. The cuisine I make is increasingly more Peruvian. Also, I love Latin America, I wouldn’t live anywhere other than here, in the neighborhood, let’s say,” said Micha.

Tsumura said he highly values ​​Japanese food and considered that for any country to make its ingredients international, such as shoyu, miso and other ingredients, and adapt to cuisines around the world, is an example to follow. “The future of cuisine is not only in opening restaurants around the world, but in bringing the ingredients, not only in their natural state, but also processed so that the world can use them not only in Latin American kitchens, but also in kitchens of the world,” he stated. .

Finally, when asked how this type of recognition helps, the chef mainly highlighted the support that this gives to tourism. “There are many people who travel to Lima to eat,” he stated, but he also emphasized the importance of the social aspect. “Cooking always unites. “Cooking is an engine by which a country moves,” he explained.