After returning to Peru four years ago, Diego Muñoz will be saying goodbye to the award-winning kitchens of Astrid & GastónandCasa Moreyrain Lima.The celebrated chef will serve up his last last service at Astrid & Gastón Saturday January 30th.
Diego Muñoz is one of Latin America’s most talented and creative chefs. His intensive research and creation process using Peruvian products is widely considered to be at the helm of Peruvian cuisine today.His exquisite cuisine is flawlessly executed with a complex layering of flavors and attention to detail, whilst also being considerate of Peru’s biodiversity.
Chef Muñoz said of his departure from Astrid & Gastón, It’s a decision that I have processed for a while now after talking with my family and with Gastón and Irzio (Pinasco), whom I really thank for their understanding and support. As I explained to them, this is a decision based on personal and professional reasons related to the aims and future projects that I want to follow as chef.
After a stint at top restaurants Mugaritz, elBulli, and a brief move to Australia where he transformed Bilson’s Restaurant, Diego Muñoz moved Peru in 2011 to team up with Gastón Acurio and head the Astrid & Gastón project. Their team work and research proved a success helped elevate the restaurant from #42 to current#14onThe World’s 50 Best Restaurants List sponsored by S. Pellegrino,as well ashelping it to become #3ofLatin America’s 50 Best Restaurants List.
The ‘Godfather’ of Peruvian CuisineGastón Acuriostates:Diego Muñoz is one of the finest chefs in the world and it has been a dream opportunity to have him as culinary leader, pushing our cuisine to go forward without fear or boundaries. This is the freedom he leaves engraved in the walls of our kitchen.This is why it has been so impactful for the Peruvian cuisine to have Diego as one of its main leaders. But it’s on the personal side overall that having him leading the kitchen of Astrid y Gastón in the past years has been a dreamed opportunity, pushing our cuisine to go forward without fear or boundaries. This is the freedom he leaves engraved in the walls of our kitchen.
Diego Muñoz has no specific venture for 2016 in mind, but will devote his time to culinary exploration. As a chef known for his modern and innovative culinary excellence he will no doubt be number one one everyone’s minds for private lectures, food festivals, consultancy, private dining and exclusive dinner parties.
Find outmore about Diego