Virgilio Martínez Véliz
Virgilo Martínez Véliz | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | August 31, 1977 |
| Education | Le Cordon Bleu |
| Culinary career | |
| Cooking style | Peruvian cuisine |
Rating(s) | |
Current restaurant(s)
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Virgilio Martínez Véliz (born August 31, 1977) is a Peruvian chef and restaurateur. He is considered one of the new generation of Peruvian chefs promoting the spread of Peruvian cuisine. He is known for his use of applying modern cooking techniques to indigenous Peruvian ingredients. Marie Claire magazine calls him "the new star of Lima's gastro sky."[1] On April 29, 2013, his flagship restaurant, Central Restaurante, entered as number 50 in The World's 50 Best Restaurants as awarded by the British magazine Restaurant. In 2014, the restaurant jumped 35 places to number 15, winning the "Highest Climber" award,[2] and later that year was named Best Restaurant in Latin America.[3]
Career
Martínez studied at and received his certifications at Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa and London. During his formative years he worked at well-known restaurants such as Lutèce (New York City); Can Fabes (Sant Celoni); and served as executive chef at Astrid & Gastón in both Bogotá and Madrid.
Use of Peruvian ingredients
Martínez is known for his use of unique ingredients such as a potato grown at 5,000 meters above sea level;[4] kushuru (cushuro), an edible cyanobacteria harvested in high-altitude wetlands; and wild varieties of kiwicha and quinoa. He is an aficionado of the use of salt, and cooks with more than 120 varieties in his restaurant in Lima.[5] In 2013, Martínez helped form Mater Iniciativa, an interdisciplinary group of professionals who travel throughout Peru in search of unique ingredients which Martinez in turn incorporates into his cooking.[6][7]
Current projects
Martínez is currently chef and owner of Central Restaurante, his flagship restaurant located in the Miraflores District, Lima, Peru. In June 2012 he opened Senzo, a project in conjunction with Orient-Express Hotels, located in Palacio Nazarenas hotel in the city of Cuzco.[8] In July 2012 he opened Lima, a modern Peruvian-style restaurant located in the Fitzrovia neighborhood of London.[4] It was awarded a Michelin star in the 2014 Michelin Guide.[9] In July 2014 a second Lima restaurant was opened in the Covent Garden district of London and dubbed Lima Floral.[10]
International gastronomy events
Martínez has participated at various gastronomic congresses and events.
- Mesamérica (Mexico City)[11]´
- Peixe em Lisboa (Lisbon, Portugal)[12]
- Melbourne Food & Wine Festival (Melbourne, Australia)[13]
- Identità Golose (Milan, Italy)[14]
- Festival Cultura e Gastronomia Tiradentes (Minas Gerais, Brazil)[15]
- Festa a Vico (Vico Equense, Italy)[16]
- Ñam Santiago (Santiago, Chile)[17]
- Savour (Singapore)[18]
- Gulfood (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)[19]
- Paris des Chefs (Paris, France)[20][21]
See also
References
- ^ Castro, Alvaro (November 2011). "Delicioso Peru". Marie Claire (Spain): 207.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Central". The World's 50 Best Restaurants. 2013.
- ^ "Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants".
- ^ a b "FT Foodies: Virgilio Martínez". Financial Times. July 6, 2012.
- ^ "Gourmet chefs prescribe a single-origin dose of salts". The Age. March 10, 2013.
- ^ "What is Mater?". Mater Iniciativa.
- ^ "Una web peruana muestra las historias de nuestros insumos culinarios". El Comercio. April 2, 2013.
- ^ "Height of luxury in the Andes". Condé Nast Traveller. June 21, 2012.
- ^ Marsden, Sam (September 26, 2013). "Michelin Guide 2014: Peruvian restaurant in London is first to win Michelin star". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved October 9, 2013.
- ^ "New Openings: Lima Floral". The Daily Telegraph. August 5, 2014.
- ^ Mesamérica
- ^ Peixe em Lisboa
- ^ Melbourne Food & Wine Festival
- ^ Identità Golose
- ^ Festival Cultura e Gastronomia Tiradentes
- ^ Festa a Vico
- ^ Ñam Santiago
- ^ Savour
- ^ Gulfood Trade Show 2012
- ^ Paris des Chefs 2012
- ^ Contreras, Catherine (January 25, 2012). "Perú cerró festival en Francia". El Comercio. p. C9.
Further reading
- "Virgilio Martínez reivindicó a nuestra tierra en la cumbre culinaria Mesamérica". El Comercio. May 23, 2013.
- "Virgilio Martínez: 'El ingreso de Central a lista San Pellegrino es un gran triunfo de la gastronomía peruana'". Gestión. April 29, 2013.
- "Restaurant of the week: Lima". London Evening Standard. July 18, 2012.
- "Virgilio Martínez: No tiene lógica comer algo que viene de otra estación". Gestión. July 16, 2012.
- "Senzo, la nueva propuesta del chef del mejor restaurante del Perú". El Comercio. July 13, 2012.
- "Summum 2012: Central fue elegido el mejor restaurante del país". Gestión. July 12, 2012.
- "Virgilio Martínez: Central seguirá siendo el eje de mi cocina". Gestión. July 12, 2012.
- "FT Foodies: Virgilio Martínez". Financial Times. July 6, 2012.
- "Salt, a seasoned performer". The Australian Financial Review. April 5, 2012.
- "Virgilio Martínez Véliz, Essenza del Perù". Gazzetta Gastronomica. February 25, 2012.
- "Central, em Lima: uma tremenda experiência gastronômica. Tremenda". Gastrolândia. February 2012.
- "UAE food industry 'should work together and better cater for customers'". The National. February 21, 2012.
- "Virgilio Martínez: el obsesivo, el perfeccionista". Peru 21. January 25, 2012.
- "Chef Virgilio Martínez se presentó en prestigioso congreso Paris des Chefs". El Comercio. January 24, 2012.
- "Postcard from Tom: Review of Central Restaurante in Lima, Peru". The Washington Post. January 20, 2012.
- "Interview with Virgilio Martínez". London Confidential. December 6, 2011.
- "Central a la vanguardia". Mucho gusto Perú. August 11, 2011.
- "Virgilio Martínez". Zona Gastronómica. July 27, 2011.
- "Chef Virgilio Martínez: "Voy a regresar a Central"". El Comercio. January 4, 2010.
- "Central". The San Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants.
- "Virgilio Martínez Véliz". Savour.sg.