Ecuadorian Chef Pía Salazar is the Winner of Latin America's Best Pastry Chef 2022!
An incredible pastry chef who turns Ecuadorian products into unique creations that enchant everyone with their flavors.
Coming down from the mountainous Ecuadorian city of Cuenca, Pía Salazar's confectionery career has reached equally high altitudes. After completing her culinary studies in Quito and CDMX, she apprenticed with some of the region's most renowned chefs, including Astrid Gutsche, Lima's famed pastry chef at Astrid y Gastón restaurant, before establishing her own restaurant with her partner, Alejandro Chamorro, in 2014.
At Nuema (named after his three children, Nuria, Emilio and Martín), Salazar expertly turns Ecuador's biodiverse produce into avant-garde desserts. Dancing among palettes of flavors, he uses not only fruits, but also vegetables, spices and various herbs to elevate his creations.
Salazar and Chamorro did not skimp on their amazing 15-course menu. Each one, enigmatically named after some of its main ingredients, is exquisitely plated, with a unique combination of flavor and color. Eggplant, macambo bean and arracacha, arapaima fish with lemon balm and cashews, macarela served with jicama and guaba, are followed by desserts that turn anyone's eyes.
Aiming to fully showcase the versatility and underrated nature of Ecuadorian cuisine, Salazar takes his customers on a culinary tour of the nation through his creations: yucca is combined with orange blossoms and spicy mandarin; white seaweed is plated with yeast, black garlic and orange; and leeks are accompanied with lemon verbena and vanilla.
History and art combine in the restaurant, which is housed in an 18th-century colonial house decorated with artwork and custom designs. Working from the corner of one of Quito's most historic neighborhoods, San Marcos, Salazar and Chamorro are open to supporting and showcasing Ecuadorian suppliers and sustainable practices: much of the silverware is created by ceramic artisans, while most of the fermented products, including vegetables and tubers, are produced within the restaurant.
With original pastry creations, decades among the best cuisines in the region, and with her restaurant having been named the best in Ecuador, Salazar is a worthy winner of the Latin America's Best Pastry Chef 2022 award sponsored by República del Cacao.
Original blog of "The 50 Best restaurants": LINK