My Profile

Virgilio Martinez was a skateboarding champion in Peru in the 1990s but, after an accident, decided to study law in Lima. During a holiday job, he discovered his passion for cooking, dropped out of university, and traveled to Canada and then London to become a Cordon Bleu graduate. After working for 10 years in Canada, Europe and Asia he became head chef of Gastón Acurio’s restaurant in Bogota. Returning home, he opened his own restaurant, Central, in the Peruvian capital in 2010, followed by Mil in Cusco and several other restaurants. Martinez also runs Mater Initiativa – a foundation for research into, and protection of Peruvian food culture.