One of the most revered and influential of all Peruvian chefs, Gastón Acurio, has been announced as the recipient of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Diners Club® Lifetime Achievement Award 2018, ahead of The World's 50 Best Restaurants in Bilbao on 19 June.
Acurio, who runs the Astrid y Gastón restaurant in Lima with his wife, pastry chef Astrid Gutsche, is widely credited with having spread Peruvian cusine around the globe and having helped turn Peru into a top culinary destination. He returned to cook in the restaurant in 2016 – take a look at some of the incredible dishes.
“This award doesn’t only represent the work of a chef committed for over 20 years to spreading the culture of Peru in the world. It also recognises a whole movement of Peruvian chefs and producers who work together to make the world fall in love with the best of our country’s land, people and history," says Acurio. He has helped train some of Peru's best chefs, including Virgilio Martínez, Pía Leon and Mitsuharu Tsumura.
The Lifetime Achievement Award, which has previously been awarded to the likes of Heston Blumenthal and Paul Bocuse is the second to be announced ahead of The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2018, following the news that British chef Clare Smyth will receive the World's Best Female Chef award at the ceremony at Bilbao's Euskalduna Palace.
Take a look at a short video interview with Acurio below.