Best Pastry Chef of Latin America 2022 and Best Pastry Chef of the World 2023, Pia Salazar, along with her husband Alejandro, has secured the 79th position among the 100 Best Restaurants in the World 2023 with their restaurant "Nuema" in Quito, emphasizing sustainability and avant-garde desserts.
Pia Salazar was born in Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca in Ecuador and studied culinary arts in Quito and Mexico City. Passionate about pastry but less so about traditional flavors, her field training began with some difficulty in Switzerland: "The Swiss are very good at making sweets, but since I preferred herbs and other flavors over sweets, I had to strive hard to balance the flavors from the very first day so that the desserts were not too sweet and that diners would finish them. It was one of the most complex jobs I have ever undertaken."
She then spent a period at "Astrid & Gastón" in Quito, a now-closed restaurant that proved to be crucial for developing her own technique in terms of aesthetics and flavors. After three years of work, she met her future husband, Alejandro Chamorro, who was her subordinate in the kitchen brigade.
In 2014, the couple opened the restaurant "Nuema" in Quito, the name of which combines the names of their three children. With their high-level culinary offerings, they aim to express Ecuador's biodiversity from a contemporary perspective; indeed, in her avant-garde desserts, Pia showcases a wide palette of flavors. The restaurant also stands out for supporting Ecuadorian suppliers and sustainable practices across all sectors. Pia was named the Best Pastry Chef of Latin America 2022, sponsored by República del Cacao, and won the title of Best Pastry Chef of the World 2023 from The World's 50 Best, while "Nuema" ranked 79th in the list of the 100 Best Restaurants in the World 2023 by Restaurant.
Cover Photo: @SoledadRosales
