Posted inFood & Beverage

Virgilio Martinez to debut in Dubai in March 2017

Michelin-starred and World's 50 Best chef to launch first Middle East outlet: Lima Dubai

Virgilio Martinez, ranked fourth in 2016’s World’s Best 50 list with his restaurant Central in Peru, is set to open his first Dubai restaurant in March 2017, Caterer Middle East can confirm.

Lima Dubai will be located in City Walk Dubai, and is an evolution of the Lima London restaurants. The 10,000ft2 venue, designed by Michaelis Boyd Associates, has 200 seats, with approximately 100 in the main restaurant, and the remaining across the bar and three terraces.

The team has taken into account the tastes of the local market, the weather, as well as the produce available, to create the menu of the Dubai outpost, which will be headed by South American chef Diego Sanchez, who has previously worked in Dubai at Grosvenor House’s Toro Toro.

In preparation for his role heading up the kitchen of Lima Dubai, Sanchez worked alongside Martinez in Central in Lima, Peru.

Lima Dubai’s décor and art comes straight from Peru, including a rock feature wall created with various Peruvian rock types, a wall mural painted by Peruvian tattoo artist Stefano Alcantara, and rock and wood tables made by Rafael Freire who will be creating pieces for Martinez’s new Central restaurant, opening in Peru in 2018.

The Dubai venue is the first Lima outside of London, where the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star shortly after opening, the first for a Peruvian restaurant. The Michelin star has been retained for five consecutive years.

Lima Restaurants managing director Jose-Luis Gonzalez told Caterer Middle East: “Dubai is one of the world’s most exciting cities today, so it was the logical destination for our first international operation. On top of being dynamic and full of innovation, there is sun all year round and the people are lovely.”