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Nuema

Quito

Endemic Ecuadorian extravaganza with delicate desserts

What's the concept? At Nuema, Ecuador's biodiversity is reviewed daily by chefs Alejandro Chamorro and Pía Salazar. Each dish is a stunning example of avant-garde gastronomy: angular and unusual shapes, bright colours and profound flavours combine to striking effect. Endemic ingredients take centre stage, such as nepia (a fermented paste of cassava and chilli), mashua(a tuber native to the Andes) and river shrimp from Manabí, and the menu changes with the seasons

And for dessert? Named The World's Best Pastry Chef 2023, Salazar is known for her creative use of vegetables in desserts, including radishes, turnips and leeks. Any initial scepticism is quickly dispelled when the desserts arrive at the table, with guests particularly fond of the long-standing dish of wafers, rice pudding and nougat served with salted and dehydrated crunchy peas, honey ice cream and apples.

About the chefs: Chamorro worked in restaurants across Peru and Denmark, becoming the first Ecuadorian chef to work at Noma, then returned to Quito to establish Nuema with a goal in mind: to capture the unique produce and identity of Ecuadorian cuisine. Pastry chef extraordinaire Salazar is at his side, spinning produce from the Ecuadorian pantry into confectionary gold.

What's in a name? Established in 2014, the restaurant's name is the amalgamation of the chefs' three children: Nuria, Emilio and Martín.

Trophy cabinet: Offering a gastronomic experience in Quito that is second to none, Nuema takes home the title of The Best Restaurant in Ecuador for the fifth time.

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