I am also proud of having achieved a balance in my life, of being able to be everywhere, at the restaurants and at home. I’m happy that I have managed to make Cristóbal feel part of all this, that it doesn’t seem strange to him and that he doesn't have a hatred or jealousy towards the restaurants. Rip the flatbread into pieces and soak in the milk for 10 minutes. Then put the bread into a mixing bowl, add the mince and stir in the parsley, mint, oregano, garlic and some seasoning. I always tell my team that they have to be one step ahead. Not in a hypocritical way or acting badly towards the rest of the team, but you have to be active, attentive and alert. If you want that job, do it in the right way; be honest, but get there. I've always worked like that, trying to be a little bit ahead,” she explains.

Over her 10-year tenure at Central, León had a chance to realise that although she had high ambitions, the success she sought had to be on her own terms. “I don't want to have a rhythm of life where I have to travel four or five times a month,” she states. “That doesn't mean that I'm not clear about what I want to achieve with Kjolle or the other projects we have. I have my limits, but I’m very clear about how far I want to go, what I want to do and how I want to divide my time.” Over a medium heat melt the butter in a big heavy-bottomed pan. When it's just about going nutty brown, scatter in the bacon in separate pieces, not a clump. Keep cooking on a medium heat until the bacon starts to crisp and takes on a nicely golden brown appearance. Then stir in the garlic and cook for a further few minutes to release the flavours. What I am most proud of is the group of people that we have managed to form at Casa Tupac, including myself,” she says. “Together, we managed to create something unique, something special, and also something that makes sense.León will receive the award in Antwerp, Flanders, on Tuesday 5th October at the awards ceremony for The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2021, sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna. I've reached a point where I know how to handle myself in life and I know how to react to different situations. My priorities are here in Peru with the restaurants we have at Casa Tupac; not only Kjolle, but also Central and Mil. And of course, my family comes first and will always come first: Cristóbal and Virgilio.”

There is Malena, Martínez’s sister, who runs Mater Iniciativa, the research arm that studies new species from Peru’s biodiversity to be integrated into the restaurants’ dishes. “Her work is incredible, and not only that, but she’s very thoughtful and calm. I’m always asking her for help, she gives me peace of mind,” says the chef.

To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and gently fry the crushed garlic. Tip in the chopped tomatoes and harissa and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until the sauce has reduced. Put in the meatballs and continue to simmer for a further 20 minutes with a lid on until the sauce looks about right.

As a young cook full of quiet determination, León threw herself into her work at Central from the very beginning. “At that time, for me it was all about work. And when I got together with [now-husband] Virgilio, forget about it – we didn’t have children so we travelled every month, it was work 24/7,” she recalls. I am also proud to continue showing the whole world what we have here, why we are unique, why we are so proud of where we come from and our country of Peru.” Once the butter is melted and allowed to cool slightly, add the coffee and stir well, then add whichever orange bits you are using (if you add anything too hot or too cold to the mix it can cause it to shrink - have your ingredients at room temperature and not straight from the fridge).Finding a balance between her passions and priorities took several years and progressive attempts. In 2016, she and Martínez welcomed their son, Cristóbal. In the second half of 2018, they moved Central from its original location in the Lima neighbourhood of Miraflores to a building in Barranco, which also houses their family home. A month later, León opened her own restaurant, Kjolle. At Leon we give the veggies who eat with us quite a lot of TLC, and this curry took a long time to get spot on before it went on the menu: it's all about the balance of spices, sweetness and making sure you time the veg right so it doesn't all fall apart. The Gobi refers to the cauliflower. It's the addition of ground almonds that provides the wonderful consistency. I’ve always been cautious. People were always asking me ‘why don’t you open your own place?’ when I was at Central, and I kept saying ‘let’s wait, I’m not ready, it’s not my time yet’,” she says. “In the end, we opened at the right time. Cristóbal was already two years old, and on a personal level, I was prepared.” León’s decision to bide her time paid off, and she was recognised with the Latin America’s Best Female Chef accolade in 2018 before Kjolle received the Highest New Entry Award when it debuted at No.21 on the Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 list. This is a perfectly balanced lunch. We have some wonderful regulars who have been eating this three times a week for years.