Virgilio Martinez and Pia Leon are jet lagged and tired. Their weariness is written clearly in their eyes, thanks to a punishing schedule that hasn’t relented after a 32-hour flight. But it is this work ethic that has catapulted them to the top of the culinary world.
The husband-and-wife team run the vaunted, award-winning Central Restaurante in Lima, Peru. Individually, Martinez also oversees London-based Lima while Leon looks after Kjolle, also in Lima, Peru.
“We’ve been to Singapore, I believe, seven times, which is a lot considering we’re flying in from Peru,” Martinez says, laughing. “So, when Mandala approached us for this new project, I thought it would be perfect to conceptualise something from scratch.”
From Peru to Singapore
The project Martinez is referring to is MASL (Meters Above Sea Level), a three-month dining residency organised by Mandala Masters that is running from now until 30 October. For lunch and dinner, Martinez and Leon take diners on a vertical journey through the indigenous cultures, ingredients and flavours of Peru.
While Singapore isn’t unfamiliar with Peruvian cuisine — globalisation has transported dishes such as ceviche into the city’s kitchens — Martinez and Leon have their own philosophical take on ingredients such as quinoa, tubers, cacao beans and more that are endemic to Peru.
They’re also relishing the challenge of creating a menu for a country “that’s proud of its food” culture.
Martinez once brought a luggage filled with 40 dead piranhas into the US. The authorities detained and questioned him, and the chef had to show them photographs of the meal he planned to cook using the carnivorous fish. No such worries for him in Singapore this time.
Instead, Martinez and his wife are focusing on Peru’s tremendous diversity at different altitudes, ranging from squid, caviar and abalone below sea level to maca, yacon root and cassava that’s available only in the mountains.
“Peru offers a deep understanding of our relationship with food and nature. It’s a powerful gastronomic destination,” says Martinez. He and Leon grew up surrounded by food. Leon fondly remembers cooking in the kitchen with her parents and siblings every Sunday while Martinez always enjoyed getting fresh fish from the anglers together with his family. Then, they would make ceviche together.
Rethinking Gastronomic Relationships
For them, food is more than just something you put in your stomach. “Through these ingredients, you can find your identity and hopefully answer the questions you have about our consumptions and behaviours,” says Martinez. This symbiotic relationship between humankind and the planet is something that both him and Leon are concerned about.
Climate change, overconsumption, overfishing and other practices have pushed our food ecosystem to the precipice of irreversible damage. We must change our consumption habits if we want to preserve the planet for our future generations. Martinez and Leon, who have a child together, want us to re-examine our relationship with food and the people who produce it.
“We are not protecting our farmers enough,” says Martinez. “They are nice people who just want to preserve nature and support their families. Then, on the flip-side, we have city people who are all about profits, profits, profits. We have to strike a balance.”
That entails living harmoniously with nature and in this regard, Martinez and Leon are glad that more and more are picking up similar picket signs.
Both of them also have massive respect for the traditions associated with food. According to Martinez, it’s not just about the cooking, but understanding the reasons different cultures treat ingredients the way they do. Beyond Peruvian cuisine, Martinez and Leon are enamoured with Asia — China for Martinez and Korea for Leon — and hope to dig deeper into the continent’s gastronomic history in the future.
“Tradition is important because innovation, which is what we always want to achieve, only happens with tradition. That begins by respecting every ingredient,” the duo echoes.
Staying At The Top
This respect also cascades downward to their staff, whom they credit for keeping Central Restaurante at the top — the 14-year-old restaurant consistently ranks as the best in Latin America and continues enthralling diners despite its age. Staying communicative and remaining passionate, says Leon, is important, too. It’s why Martinez and Leon continue taking 32-hour aeroplane rides to the other side of the globe.
“We need challenges in life. Sure, we suffer from jetlag and don’t get a day off. But, we get to learn something new to bring back home,” says Martinez. They are also not averse to criticism and welcome mistakes because they offer opportunities to learn and grow.
Leon proffers with a smile, “Otherwise, it gets boring, you know?”
