One of the most celebrated Latin American Chefs is to bring his award-winning cuisine to Hong Kong at the end of July.
Virgilio Martinez, renowned for his uber-creative “altitude” menu at the current World’s 5th Best Restaurant - “Central” in Lima, Peru is to showcase authentic flavours and culinary traditions of his native land on a new continent.
“We want guests to feel as though they have been to Peru and experienced local comfort food. ICHU will celebrate Peru’s no-fuss dining culture with a menu that showcases traditional local ingredients and authentic cooking techniques.
"I’m excited to create an informal, friendly atmosphere where we can take Hong Kong diners out of their comfort zone and offer them dishes they probably haven’t tasted before.”
Ichu Peru entrance (©️ Joyce Wang Studio)
Having partnered with a Dubai-based Bulldozer Group, Martinez has also relocated three of his key members to the new opening to ensure all of the exceptionally high standards of cuisine and hospitality remain unchanged in his first venture in Asia.
Preview of the interior (©️ Joyce Wang Studio)
A bistro-style setting will offer a relaxed dining experience : “ICHU will present much-loved Peruvian dishes in a comfortable, welcoming, casual environment.” explains Martinez.
The restaurant’s name ICHU derives from a plant found in the Peruvian Andes that only grows in extreme conditions, the Peruvian feathergrass.
The name reflects both Martinez’s in-depth knowledge of indigenous ingredients and his passion for new challenges.
For the restaurant’s interiors, award-winning designer Joyce Wang has drawn inspiration from Peru’s landscape and Martinez’s culinary style. Featuring richly textured materials and raw finishes to evoke Peru’s changing topography and dynamic ecosystem, the vibrant colours and inventive flourishes capture Martinez’s progressive culinary style.
ICHU Peru 3/F H Queen’s 80 Queen’s Road, Central, Hong Kong