i. Biography
The Climb
Layering a kitchen identity takes time, and Juan Carlos Romero has built his position that way: step by step, with discipline that shows in the finished work. As original chef and co-founder at Los Taquitos de Puebla in Philadelphia, he helped establish the restaurant’s early direction and tone. That kind of foundation matters. It is visible in the steadiness of his cooking now, and in the way he approaches the demands of an Executive Chef role at Flama with both control and range.
Today
Authentic Neapolitan pizza is the center of the work at Flama in Miraflores, where Juan Carlos Romero serves as chef. The style depends on exact timing, texture, heat, and restraint, and the kitchen is built around those requirements rather than around display. Here, tradition is handled as a working method. The result is a practice that stays close to the form while allowing each pie to carry its own character. Certification by the Associazione de la Vera Pizza Napoletana later made Flama the first Peruvian pizzeria to earn that distinction, placing the Miraflores kitchen within the standards set for true Neapolitan pizza. For Romero, that kind of recognition points to an operation where method is not incidental but central. His leadership there reads as structure more than style: a way of keeping the room aligned with precision, consistency, and the rules of the craft.
Signature
Margherita pizza and Neapolitan pizza are Juan’s signature dishes, and both depend on the discipline that makes simple formats hard to execute well. Each element has to be placed with intent, or the whole loses shape. In Romero’s work, these pizzas reflect a clear respect for fundamentals and for the kind of control that lets restraint do the heavy lifting.
Recognition
Juan’s honors include 50 Top Pizza — Latin America, No. 6 (2026) and 50 Top Pizza — World Best Pizza list, No. 41 (2025). Taken together, those placements locate Romero within current serious pizza discourse and mark the standard he has set between Philadelphia and Miraflores, with Flama as the working ground for that level of consistency.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Juan
Where did Juan Carlos Romero work before?
Juan Carlos Romero's earlier career included Los Taquitos de Puebla.
What recognition has Juan Carlos Romero received?
50 Top Pizza — Latin America, No. 6 (2026).
