Francys Salazar and the new identity of Peruvian fine dining, combining chef's tables, tapas bars, and creative freedom.
There is a before and after Sevi in the Florentine gastronomic scene, at least in the international one. Before, Peruvian cuisine was a fragmented story, confined to the clichés of the exotic or fusion. After, thanks to the work and perseverance of Francys Salazar, the Peruvian ethnic scene—or rather, Nikkei—has managed to raise its voice: cultured, free, deeply contemporary. Because let's face it: in Italy, ethnic food is too often associated more with quantity than quality, with abundant, community-based cuisine rather than research or social inclusion. Sevi is the exact opposite.
Sevi's rise in just three years
After three years of growth, Sevi has reached full maturity. Starting out as a small cevicheria in a corridor in Novoli, the project has transformed into a gastronomic laboratory in the heart of Via Maragliano, between Porta al Prato and the Cascine park, where the very meaning of “world cuisine” is being rewritten.
While it is true that the change of location dates back to 2023, this summer Francys Salazar and his partner—in life and work—Jhoseleen Condori decided to completely redesign the space. “Our restaurant must live up to our dishes,” the young chef-entrepreneur from Lima had been repeating for months, with that mixture of ambition and awareness that sets him apart. Even at the cost of losing a few customers along the way, between new features and price increases. Even at the cost of having to give up the second opening in Prato a year ago.
Today, Sevi has fewer seats, a more intimate and refined dining room, warm lighting, and natural tones that evoke the Andean landscape. The open kitchen dominates the scene, becoming part of the show and a place of transparency and dialogue with guests. Everything conveys balance, hospitality, and curiosity, but also that lightness that makes the experience fun and sincere. At the center is the Chef's Table: only four seats for a tasting without rules.
The two tasting menus
Sevi offers two tasting menus: “Alla Deriva” (Adrift), eight courses that embody the restaurant's philosophy, and “Destino Múltiple” (Multiple Destiny), five dishes that represent a conversation between the past and the future. Both follow the principle of “cuisine in motion”: understanding, deconstructing, and reinterpreting, rather than simply replicating. Alternatively, you can choose individual dishes from the à la carte menu. “Our menus are drawn in pencil,” says Salazar, “so we can change them every day, based on inspiration and who is sitting in front of us.”
Sevi's Peruvian cuisine speaks a lively, nomadic language, weaving together migrant stories and Japanese, Spanish, and Chinese influences without ever losing its authenticity. Here, stereotypes are overturned, transforming into a discourse of freedom, identity, and conscious contamination. And so Florence confirms its status as one of the most sensitive and permeable cities on the contemporary gastronomic scene.
The tasting
In every dish, the roots of Peru meet the rest of the world: let's start here. There is Leone XIV, a bean soup with slow-cooked cheek and spices from the north of the country, a poetic and ironic tribute to the pontiff “of Andean origin.” There are Conchitas, grilled scallops with coral butter, black garlic, and leche de tigre, and Chaufa di Wagyu, where robatayaki-seared beef embraces rice, vegetables, eggs, and sesame in a perfect bridge between Peru and the East.
Of course, there are also the great classics: Polpo Anticuchero with potato foam, Arroz de Mariscos, and, naturally, the ever-present variations of Ceviche, a testament to Salazar's constantly evolving identity.
Fragmentos, the liquid side of Sevi
The second soul of the project is hidden on the lower floor: Fragmentos, a tapas and cocktail bar, where the experience becomes even more convivial. Small portions of Sevi's dishes accompany signature drinks created by young bartender Lionel Guevara, who interprets the philosophy of the restaurant in a liquid key. Some examples? Tierra Andina, made with eucalyptus-infused Pisco, mate liqueur, ají amarillo syrup, non-alcoholic ginger liqueur, and lime, or Sevi Old Fashioned with Peruvian Black Whiskey, cinnamon syrup, and cocoa bitters.
“The glass tells as much as the plate,” concludes Salazar, “meaning not only Pisco, as the fake tradition would have it, but mezcal, Peruvian whiskey, and spirits to create liquid itineraries that dialogue with the cuisine.” In the near future, Fragmentos will also open for lunch, with a more dynamic offering that remains faithful to Sevi's research and identity.
Contatti
Sevi
Via Maragliano, 24, 50144 Firenze FI
Phone: 334 992 6470
