Virgilio Martínez

Coming Up

Formal technique entered the work through Le Cordon Bleu, where Virgilio Martínez received the foundation expected of cooks moving into fine-dining kitchens. The next test was service in New York City at Lutèce, a room with a classical register and the pressure that comes with established dining-room standards. Spanish fine dining added another layer at Can Fabes in Sant Celoni, where Virgilio Martínez worked inside a kitchen shaped by Spanish technique and restaurant discipline. That experience placed European structure alongside the technical base already formed in school and in New York. Executive responsibility came through Astrid & Gastón, first in Bogotá, Colombia, and then in Madrid, Spain. In those posts, Virgilio Martínez worked within a Peruvian restaurant identity outside Peru, a useful pressure point for defining ingredients, flavor, and presentation across markets. Restaurant-building became the larger frame in 2008, when Virgilio Martínez became chef-owner of Central Restaurante in Lima, Peru. The group expanded with Senzo and Lima in 2012, Lima Floral in 2014, Mil in 2018, and Estero, extending a Peruvian-centered practice across different locations and formats. “Why do I have to go back all the time to the kitchen and continue doing my job in the kitchen?” Virgilio has said.

The Practice Today

Central Restaurante in Lima, Peru, remains the flagship site for Virgilio Martínez’s work. Its tasting menus are built around Peru’s altitudinal diversity, using the country’s varied landscapes as an organizing principle for ingredients and dishes rather than as decoration.

Career - Chef-Owner, Central Restaurante, Lima, Peru (2008–present) - Chef-Owner, Senzo, Cuzco, Peru (2012–present) - Chef-Owner, Lima, London, United Kingdom (2012–present) - Chef-Owner, Lima Floral, London, United Kingdom (2014–present) - Chef-Owner, Lima, Dubai, UAE (2017–present) - Chef-Owner, Mil, Cusco, Peru (2018–present) - Chef, Lutèce, New York City, USA - Chef, Can Fabes, Sant Celoni, Spain - Executive Chef, Astrid & Gastón, Bogotá, Colombia - Executive Chef, Astrid & Gastón, Madrid, Spain Education: Le Cordon Bleu

Signature

Signature dishes include Extreme Stems.

Standing

Recognition has tracked both the restaurant and the broader standing of modern Peruvian cuisine. Central Restaurante was named #1 in The World's 50 Best Restaurants. In 2014, it was recognized as the Best Restaurant in Latin America and ranked #15 in The World's 50 Best Restaurants; that same year, after debuting at #50, it received the Highest Climber Award.

FAQ What role does Virgilio Martínez hold? Virgilio Martínez is chef-owner. Where did Virgilio Martínez train or study? Virgilio Martínez trained at Le Cordon Bleu.