Central - by Virgilio Martinez & Nicholas Gill (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

The extraordinary cuisine of Peruvian chef Virgilio Martínez of Central, one of the most admired emerging talents in the culinary world

This exquisite monograph from acclaimed Peruvian chef Virgilio Martínez follows the innovative and exciting tasting menu at his signature restaurant, Central, in Lima. Organized by altitude, each chapter highlights recipes, food, and documentary photographs, together with personal essays. His journeys and life as a chef are motivated by his insatiable curiosity and passion for the biodiversity of his land.

"At Central we cook ecosystems." --Virgilio Martínez

Review Quotes

"For hundreds of years, Peruvian biodiversity has been a hidden treasure of thousands of unique ingredients. Today, in the Peruvian Amazon, deserts, Andes, Altiplano, and all of their ecosystems, some ingredients, like quinoa and native cacao, are already traveling all over the world. A small group of chefs wanted to explore deeper than ever the potentials of each ingredient, each environment of Peru-listening, smelling, touching, learning-with a style of cooking that was absolutely modern, unique, and Peruvian. Leading the creativity of this young and free generation of chefs is Virgilio Martínez. If you want to discover Peru and its treasures in its most modern version, to feel our unique biodiversity, to celebrate our multicultural society, and to taste the soul of young Peruvians proud of their culture, this book is the perfect way to do it. In Central, Virgilio will take you on a journey, from the Pacific Ocean to the high Andes, discovering the magic of the ingredients of Peru."--Gastón Acurio of Astrid & Gastón (Lima, Peru)

"Central is about Virgilio's desire to tell the story of a collective wish from a individual pulse, and of a passion that comes from history. His book features a strike of authority achieved through culture and creativity."--Andoni Luis Aduriz of Mugaritz (San Sebastian, Spain)

"Virgilio Martínez doesn't settle with what is already in everyone's imagination about Peruvian cuisine. He is a chef who looks deeply into the unknown, into the forgotten and rejected to find a different way to embrace his culture. Virgilio brings to light another side of Peruvian culinary culture, one inspired by Big Nature: the vast landscape and diverse terrain of this unique place. He is a keen observer who isn't afraid to open his kitchen to the unknown. Virgilio forges not one path to understanding Peruvian cuisine but many, and from this research and determination, he is giving back to Peru centuries of ancestral wisdom through fine dining."--Massimo Bottura of Osteria Francescana (Modena, Italy)

"We believe that what we do in our kitchens is to create beauty as the legacy for future generations. This is what Virgilio's work in Central communicates - and we know the readers will feel this emotion."--Dominique Crenn of Atelier Crenn (San Francisco, United States)

"What Virgilio and his team at Central have created is an entirely new lexicon of cuisine, while maintaining the ancient traditions, the beauty, and the integrity of the cooking of his land."--Carlo Mirarchi of Blanca (New York City, United States)

"Central is a testament of passion, integrity, and knowledge - a generous gift of sharing with others. Through Virgilio's food I learned so much about the culture and people of Peru, but most of all, I learned this importance of others and the richness of endless discoveries. This is a very special book and Virgilio is an outstanding human being." --Joan, Josep & Jordi Roca of El Celler de Can Roca (Girona, Spain)

"Features food photography worthy of a modern-art gallery wall and exquisite signature recipes from the famed restaurant."--Plate

About the Author

Virgilio Martínez has cooked in restaurants around the world and in 2009, in Lima, he opened Central. In 2013 he debuted on the World's 50 Best list and in 2015 he reached #4 and was named the #1 chef in Latin America. He is the founder of Mater Iniciativa, which documents indigenous foods in Peru. In London, he runs the restaurants Lima and Lima Floral. He lives in Peru.