Virgilio Martinez

Born in Lima, Peru, chef Virgilio Martinez celebrates his culture as one of the best Peruvian chefs in the world. Being the son of an artist mother, Virgilio has always been a free spirit, excited to explore the world. After spending his formative years trying different career options such as being a professional skateboarder and a lawyer, chef Martinez discovered the joy that cooking brings to him. He went to culinary school and received his certifications from Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa and London. His early years as a chef were spent mostly travelling and working in well-known restaurants such as Lutèce in New York, Can Fabes in Sant Celoni and Astrid & Gastón in Bogotá and Madrid. His unique path took him to his hometown, Lima, Peru where he fell in love with his own culture again. His flagship restaurants that offers modern Peruvian cuisine, Central in Lima was named among the best restaurants in the world many times by respected gastronomy guides such as World’s 50 Best, the same guide that crowned his restaurant as The Best Restaurant in Latin America for three consecutive years.