The International Board of Basque Culinary Center returns to Peru in June 2024

The Basque Culinary Center’s International Council, formed by some of the world's most renowned chefs, is set to meet again in Peru from 16th -19th June to celebrate, explore and debate the scope of gastronomy under the theme T 'impuy. 

This special event aims to stir up the debate about what we cook and eat, and the impact of everything surrounding it. Hosted by Gastón Acurio and Pía León, the International Council will be spotlighting the role that Peru has played in gastronomy’s expansion in recent decades - as a cradle of talent, traditions and transformational ideas.

2024, BACK TO PERU

Peru has played a special role in driving international gastronomy’s expansion in recent decades, by serving as a venue for debating and shaping cuisine-related perspectives. As a cradle of top-level talent, the country itself has helped cook and prepare concerns and proposals such as those expressed by the Basque Culinary Center’s International Council at its first meeting, back in 2011. At the meeting, the founder members of the Council, formed by some of the then-best chefs (like Gastón Acurio, Massimo Bottura, René Redzepi, Alex Atala, Ferran Adrià and Dan Barber) signed and issued the "Open letter to the chefs of tomorrow", publishing it for the whole world to read. Since then, plenty has been achievements and many lessons have been learned.

Each new generation brings fresh concerns, the challenges are changing, and the needs and audiences are evolving. Understanding all this, such outstanding personalities as Joan Roca (Spain), Dominique Crenn (France/USA), Mauro Colagreco (Argentina/France), Yoshihiro Narisawa (Japan), Manu Buffara (Brazil), and Elena Reygadas (Mexico), Dominique Crenn (France/USA), Mauro Colagreco (Argentina/France), Yoshihiro Narisawa (Japan), Manu Buffara (Brazil), Elena Reygadas (Mexico), Josh Niland (Australia) and Thitid Tassanakajohn (Thailand), who are just some of the members of today’s Basque Culinary Center International Council, will be visiting the auditorium of Peru’s Pontifical Catholic University (PUCP) on 19th June. The event, called T'impuy, which refers to the concept of boiling, cooking, or effervescence, will serve to shed new light on the thoughts that those chefs voiced in 2011, and to address the sector’s future by stressing gastronomy’s ubiquitous nature and reconnecting with current demands through conferences, talks and round tables.

The high-level meeting led by the Basque Culinary Center will be hosted by Gastón Acurio (Astrid & Gastón) and Pia León (Kjolle), two representatives of Peru’s thriving gastronomy, who use their cuisine to promote the country’s great biodiversity, and are also members of the Basque Culinary Center’s International Council.

On another note, out of its admiration and desire to promote exchanges that help to development of gastronomy, the International Council Center will be visiting the cities of Lima and Cusco, to “fertilize” knowledge, “sow” debates and “harvest” shared opinions about future trends. The three-day event, will feature a range of activities such as the council meeting, the choosing of the winner of the Basque Culinary World Prize 2024, and an updated version of the "Open letter to the chefs of tomorrow” and. The event will end on 19th June with a day of reflection in Lima.

14TH GASTRONOMIC MEETING

In 2024, the Basque Culinary Center will be holding the International Council’s 14th annual meeting in a unique context, following on from the meetings and events held at top international gastronomic venues such as New York, Lima, Mexico City, Modena, San Francisco, Girona and Tokyo, different conferences have debated sustainability, biodiversity, talent and the gastronomy sector’s transformation from a multidisciplinary approach.

About Pia León

Pia León embodies one of the most personal and creative visions of contemporary Peruvian gastronomy, and her creations cast light on the unbounded diversity and cultural multiplicity of a country like hers. She first made her mark as co-owner of Central, named the world’s best restaurant in the 2023 list of 'The World's 50 Best Restaurants' and which for several years topped the list of the 50 Best Restaurants in Latin America. Six years ago, Pia set out on her own path with Kjolle, and in 2021 was named the World's Best Female Chef. Kjolle, which embodies Pia's purpose in enhancing and preserving Peruvian culture and beauty, debuted on the list of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2019 in 21st place, winning the award for Best New Entry.

About Gastón Acurio

Gaston is both an icon of Peruvian cuisine and a successful entrepreneur, with different kinds of gastronomic ventures all around the world. Owner of the renowned restaurant Astrid & Gastón, Acurio passionately believes in cuisine as a tool for social change. He is widely acknowledged for his efforts in taking his country around the world, opening up a borderless interest in much more than cebiche. Promoter of projects such as Pachacútec, where dozens of young people get training in cooking on the outskirts of Lima, he promotes cultural, social and environmental causes. He has penned many books, such as Perú: Gastronomía, a Peruvian cookbook, which includes 500 traditional home cooking recipes, Cebiche Power, and Recontra ¡Bravazo, among others. Gastón was also one of the founding members of the Basque Culinary Center’s International Council and hosted its first meeting in 2011 in Lima, where he co-authored and signed the aforementioned "Open letter to the chefs of tomorrow".

THE BASQUE CULINARY CENTER INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL

The Basque Culinary Center’s International Council, formed by some of today's most influential chefs, is a key body, responsible for advising the Basque Culinary Center’s about its strategy, guiding its efforts, helping to identify opportunities and opening scenarios for discussion and action that contribute to advancing gastronomy.

Founded by Ferrán Adrià (Spain), Joan Roca (Spain), Gastón Acurio (Peru), Massimo Bottura (Italy), Michel Bras (France), René Redzepi (Denmark), Heston Blumenthal (UK), Alex Atala (Brazil), Dan Barber (USA) and Yukio Hattori (Japan); over time, it has attracted other personalities such as Enrique Olvera (Mexico), Mauro Colagreco (Argentina/France), Manu Buffara (Brazil), Yoshihiro Narisawa (Japan), Trine Hahnemann (Denmark), Dominique Creen (France/USA), Pia León (Peru), Josh Niland (Australia), Narda Lepes (Argentina), Elena Reigadas (Mexico), and Ton Ttassanakajohn (Thailand).