Luis Caballero

The Climb

Formative work at DStage, Kabuki, and Geranium gave Luis Caballero three different operating systems: tempo, discipline, and precision. Those rooms did not just fill gaps on a résumé; they trained judgment. In each kitchen, the standards were exacting, and the lesson was consistent — how to work cleanly, move calmly, and keep control inside ambitious service. That background now reads through two current posts, at Caleta 111 and Playing Solo. Caballero moves between New York City and Madrid with the kind of range that comes from repeated exposure to demanding kitchens. The thread is not style for its own sake, but the ability to adapt without losing the underlying method.

Today

At Caleta 111 in New York City, the work carries a clear sense of place without surrendering discipline. At Playing Solo in Madrid, Caballero’s role sits in a more intimate format, but the structure stays intact. His own description of the room points to a service model built on proximity: Japanese izakaya taverns, cooking in front of diners, and direct conversation at the pass. That approach changes the mechanics of the meal. The cook is visible, the exchange is immediate, and the room is built to keep distance low. Conversation becomes part of the service line. Attention does too. The aim is closeness without loss of control, and warmth without softening the craft. Peru remains the base of the cooking. Caballero comes from Puno, and that grounding continues to shape both Caleta 111 and Playing Solo. His menus also make room for a kaiseki menu and broader influences, placing Peruvian cuisine in contact with other traditions rather than sealing it off. The result is work that reads as layered but coherent, anchored in origin and open to exchange.

In Their Words “We are inspired by the Japanese izakaya taverns, where the chef cooks in front of the clients and talks with them. We want to get as close as possible to the diner and, through our dishes, reveal our gastronomy.” “We are inspired by the Japanese izakaya taverns, where the chef cooks in front of the diners and talks with them.”

Recognition

Luis's honors include Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand and Un Sol Guía Repsol.