When Pía León left world-leading restaurant Central to open Kjolle in 2018, she shared a unique vision with her head of hospitality and beverages, Diego Vásquez Luque. Seven years on, the Lima restaurant has won the Art of Hospitality Award, sponsored by Buchanan's 18, as part of Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants 2025. León and Vásquez take us on a journey through Kjolle – and reveal what makes it so special.
Kjolle is not just a restaurant
A multi-space experience exploring Peru's biodiversity, Kjolle is an education as much as a meal. Located at Casa Tupac in Lima's Barranco neighbourhood, the restaurant shares a building with Central, as well as Mater, the research arm that connects the two. "We don't just serve, we offer so much more," says León. "We show you Peru's biodiversity, and we give you knowledge and lots of human contact with our kitchen and front of house teams."
It's an escape
The journey starts in the garden, where you'll discover plants from the coast, mountains and rainforest. "From the noise of the city, you immediately find yourself in another space, a new ecosystem," says León. "You're surrounded by greenery, and you feel that peace and tranquillity – and the hospitality team is waiting for you there." From the garden, you're taken inside Casa Tupac to a special room for a welcome drink that will introduce you to Kjolle's fascinating world of liquids.
Kjolle's dining room is a calm, sleek and open space filled with Peruvian wood and stone
It connects multiple disciplines
Welcome drink in hand, you're led through to Mater, the food research arm led by Malena Martínez that powers the menus at Kjolle, Central and a third restaurant, Mil, near Cusco. "Mater is our knowledge centre," explains Vásquez. "It's a multidisciplinary team not only of chefs and front of house but also geologists, sociologists... The mix gives you a broader view of gastronomy, connecting it with art and other disciplines." You'll learn about Mater and how it connects with the menu in a succinct and informative way.
A tasting menu, but relaxed
Within 10 minutes of arriving in the garden, you're led upstairs to Kjolle's dining room, a calm, sleek, open space filled with Peruvian wood and stone. What follows is a nine-course tasting of Peruvian ingredients you might not have heard of, including kjolle (a flower), and brightly coloured tubers like yucca, olluco and sachapapa. While the dishes require a little explanation, you won't feel overloaded. "Our dining room team has an incredible connection with our food," says León. "It's very clear and concise – we don't have those long attacks of information that leave you confused."
It's related to the Best of the Best
Before opening Kjolle in 2018, León worked at Central for 10 years with her husband, Virgílio Martínez. During her tenure as head chef, Central was named Latin America's Best Restaurant three times, and in 2023 it took the No.1 title in the world, elevating it into the Best of the Best hall of fame. While Kjolle and Central are different concepts, they share the same DNA and both focus on showcasing Peru's biodiversity. "There are more similarities than differences," says León. "Virgílio's personality is different from mine, and each space is unique and special. Many people visit Central, Kjolle and Mil, and they discover the differences not just gastronomically, but in service too."
Before Kjolle, León worked at Central for 10 years with her husband, Virgílio Martínez
You'll definitely learn something
Whether you're eating subicanum, a species of wild cacao, or drinking a creation made from stingless bees' honey, there's so much to discover at Kjolle. "Mater allows us to show every product and how it's used," says León. "Gastronomically, you try the food, you taste it, you feel it. Culturally, we teach you through art, design, ceramics... it's intense work but it allows us to communicate so much."
Even Peruvians will be surprised
It's not just overseas visitors who are wowed by Kjolle. "We have a dish called Many Tubers, which features olluco, a tuber from the Andes," explains León. "Most Peruvians have only eaten it one way, and they've never imagined they could eat it in another style, with a different technique. It's beautiful to be able to generate curiosity and an element of surprise, whether you're a local or a foreigner."
Drinks are as creative as the food
Beverage pairings are as well-thought-out as the dishes. The magic happens in the Liquid Lab, where a dedicated team designs a drink for each course, guided by Mater. "Our drinks pairings follow the same structure as the food," says Vásquez. "We're looking for textures, temperatures, colours and sensations, and the equivalent of the crockery is the glassware and how we present each drink." On the wine pairing, you'll find not just reds and whites but also sparkling, rosé and orange labels, mirroring the rainbow of colours in León's food.
León hopes people leave wanting to talk about the meal, Peru and its biodiversity
Soft pairings are innovative too
On the non-alcoholic side, there's a series of uniquely Peruvian drinks including chichas, ferments and lots of roots, botanicals, herbs and plants. A dessert of frozen mashwa has a particularly creative non-alcoholic pairing. "Mashwa is a tuber that has everything," says Vásquez. "It has cultural value and colour, plus it's a little spicy. You wouldn't think you could make a drink from a tuber. You try the solid, sweet mashwa, which is then complemented in colour, flavour and texture by the mashwa drink. We serve it in a special glass with an irregular cut – the glassware is important so you taste the drink in the best way. This pairing has it all."
You'll get to meet the chefs
Some courses are brought by servers, while others arrive in the hands of the chefs, and all staff are happy to answer your questions. "The connection between the dining room and the kitchen is very important," says León. "There isn't a marked differentiation between the two teams. Kjolle is the work of many people, and we all approach it with the same line of thinking – as if we're just one person."
Casa Tupac es tu casa
When hiring, Vásquez and León look for one thing: attitude. As a result, everyone you meet at Kjolle is passionate about what they do. There's no one-size-fits-all approach to service either: each personality shines through in the dining room, and they're all happy to have you there. "It's a luxury to have your time for two hours," says León. "We're grateful you let us show you many things during that time. That's what hospitality is: to serve but also to have your time and to use it wisely."
Kjolle chef-owner Pía León and head of hospitality and beverages Diego Vásquez Luque
It's a world of pure imagination
Before the final course, you're taken to a special room to learn about theobromas, a family of tree fruits including cacao, macambo, copuazú and subicanum, all of which feature in the final dessert. After learning about the ingredients in their raw form, it's back to the table to enjoy them in their transformed, sweet state. "Your mind opens up and you discover things you didn't know you liked," says León. "You try things, talk to the team and relax a bit, then return to the dining room for that final course."
Everyone's journey is unique
No two people will experience a meal here in the same way, because the team is adept at reading each diner. "Some people are more curious," says León. "One of the skills of the hospitality team is to identify your interests and guide you, perhaps change the focus of what we might teach you." One diner might delve a little deeper into the Mater side, while another might explore the drinks. "It's the precision to decipher what each customer wants, and that's what makes us different," adds Vásquez.
It'll leave you wanting more
"We want our customers to feel nourished and enriched, not just from delicious food but also with knowledge," says León. "We also want them to want to return, and if they can't return then they'll have the desire to tell someone about it – not just about Kjolle, but about Peru and its biodiversity." You might also go home with a little memento from your visit... but we won't spoil the surprise.
Now watch the video on the guest journey at Kjolle:
Latin America's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 will be revealed from Antigua Guatemala on Tuesday 2 December.
