With her restaurant "Kjolle" in Lima, situated next to her husband Virgilio Martinez's restaurant, with whom she has also launched three other establishments, Pia Leòn is at the forefront of the Peruvian culinary revolution. She is a successful chef, as evidenced by her title as the World's Best Female Chef of 2021 awarded by Restaurant magazine, and has also initiated philanthropic culinary endeavors aimed at protecting local biodiversity.
Born in Lima in 1986, Pia León was raised in a family where the love for cooking was more than just a passion; it was a legacy. She trained at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu institute in Lima, and at just sixteen years old, was already working in her mother's catering business. After graduation, her aspirations took her away from the capital, toward culinary havens both domestically and internationally. Pia spent some time at "Astrid y Gastón," before moving to Spain to the renowned "El Celler de Can Roca."
In 2009, she returned home to work at the restaurant "Central," helmed by Virgilio Martinez, who is now her husband. The duo quickly gained fame in the gastronomic world, elevating the restaurant to new heights. In 2013, "Central" entered the World's 50 Best Restaurants list for the first time and achieved the top spot in 2023, having already been named the Best Restaurant in Latin America in 2014.
After heading the kitchen at "Central" for years, Pia felt the desire to strike out on her own to more freely express her creativity. In 2018, she opened "Kjolle," a personal tribute to the Peruvian culinary revolution. "Kjolle," like "Central," celebrates Peruvian biodiversity but focuses more on individual ingredients rather than ecosystems. Pia and Virgilio haven't only revolutionized gastronomy in the kitchens of "Central" and "Kjolle." They also launched "Mil" in the center of the Peruvian Andes and "Mayo," a more casual bistro-bar in Lima. Pia also started the restaurant "Mauka" at the "Belmond" in Cuzco.
Furthermore, they are the minds behind Mater Iniciativa, a multidisciplinary organization that explores Peruvian biodiversity, in collaboration with Martinez's sister, Malena. In 2021, Pia's talent was recognized with the title of World's Best Female Chef in the World's 50 Best by Restaurant magazine.
