Awarded by the Frenchwoman Hélène Darroze in 2015, the prize of "best woman chef in the world" awarded by the still contested but no less influential World's 50 Best Restaurants, goes in 2021 to the Peruvian Pía León.
Aged 34, she is chef-owner of the Kjolle restaurant in Lima and co-owner with her husband Virgilio Martínez de Central (Lima), three times crowned best restaurant in Latin America, and Mil (Moray, Andes).
Before Pía León, the winners were Daniela Soto-Innes (2019, she was then chef of Cosme and Atla in New York), Clare Smyth (2018, Core in London), Ana Roš (2017, Hiša Franko in Slovenia) and Dominique Crenn (2016, San Francisco).
According to its organizers, this award
"aims to highlight female chefs, with the majority of globally recognized restaurants still being run by men"
and
"draws attention to gender inequalities in the hotel and
catering
industry. Restoration".
See you on October 5 in Antwerp
Pía León had already been nominated for the 50 Best “best female chef in Latin America” in 2018. A Cordon Bleu graduate in the Peruvian capital where she was born, she joined Central in 2009 and rose through the ranks to become a chef. Now married to Virgilio Martínez, the couple hoisted Central on the roof of global gastronomy, before jointly opening Mil, a restaurant located at 3,500 meters above sea level in Cuzco, which is also part of the research, development and of Mater Iniciativa interpretation. Kjolle, opened in Lima in 2018, is his first solo project. She does not offer a fixed menu, but personal dishes created according to the ingredients of the season and the region.
“It is an honor to name Pía León World's Best Female Chef 2021. Her dedication to parity in her cuisine and her passion for the products of her country have made her a benchmark. Her work will undoubtedly be a game-changer for the future of gastronomy and contribute to the success of more women in the best kitchens in the world. ”
commented William Drew, Content Director of World's 50 Best Restaurants.
The winner said:
“The most positive thing that has come out of this exceptional and difficult time is that I have been able to continue working with a team of people who are extraordinary human beings.
They will see this award, as I do, as a great indication that we are on the right track for the future. ”
Pía León will receive its distinction on October 5 at the FMCCA in Antwerp (Belgium), during the ceremony to announce the 50 best restaurants in the world.
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