Originally Published in June 2023 – Updated on June 2024
In the 2nd story of Casa Tupaq, the complex that houses Central and the Mater Research Center, Kjolle is Pia Leon’s own space. In June 2024 was recognized as the 28th on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, reaching this position in two years.
After ten years of being chef de cuisine for Central, in 2018, Pia León opened her restaurant to offer a more relaxed experience than Central, using the same techniques in different ways. Here the menu is “a la carte,” which is sometimes more challenging for a team than the same tasting menu which they also have.
The connection with color and nature comes from her spirit; the name comes from an Andean bright orange flower we saw when we visited MIL; the color transpires the fabric that holds the menu, tinted with the same flower, or the tables that are a mix of materials with different shades and hues.
This step in Pia’s career was long overdue; sometimes, you wait for the right moment. Since it opened its doors, it has pushed Leon’s career forward. She was named twice Best Female Chef, first on the Latin American 50 Best list in 2018 and World’s Best Female Chef in 2021, and it landed the restaurant on the 68th spot of the 2022 version of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
The Menu
Pia León defines her cuisine as intuitive; the food varies according to the season, and it allows her to change it, guided as every other restaurant from the group my Mater, their research center.
There are two ways to enjoy Kjolle, A la carte or on an eight steps tasting experience, where you can enjoy the elegance and simplicity of each plate.
BLACK MASHWA was the first stop in the experience; several items where the mashua is used, from bread to a crunchy tart to a drink, a colorful experience that is accompanied by creamy butter for that soft mashua bun and beef heart on the tart. It was followed by SEABASS AND CLAMS, a fresh plate of fish paired with thin laces of Macre Squash, a local giant pumpkin with a bright yellow flesh; sea urchin accompanied this step in two different textures, a crunchy uni and a cream of urchin with the squash.
The experience continues with SCALLOPS AND PEPINO MELON, one of the staples, fresh scallops with the pepino dulce fruit, a type of cucumber that has a flavor close to honeydew, followed by TUBERS, a fixture, a tart of different Andean tubers, mandioc, oxalis and potato beautifully presented. The next moment is SQUID AND HUAMANTANGA, a delicious cream of potato with squid; this season it was made with Sacha papa, a variety of yam, limo chiles, and rugged lime.
LOBSTER moment comes adding the Cecina flavor from the Amazon, coconuts, and razor clams; the lobster is decorated with lantanas, a beautiful flower that used to grow in my aunt’s garden, and the claims come on a lovely stew with coconut and cusuro, an ally from the Andean lakes. To finish the savory part, BEEF CHEEKS, purple cabbage, and moche, achili from the northern lands; the cheek dissolves in your mouth, and the creamy corn side keeps embracing you.
Dessert is made with MIL MORAY CACAO. Mater (their research center) is working hard on sourcing great cacao from Cusco; it’s sourced from the farmers and then fermented, roasted, and refined on-site; the dessert has different textures, including a string of chewy cacao and the addition of copoazú, another fruit from Theobroma family (as cacao) and Chaco clay.
PARING
Alcoholic or non-alcoholic, the paring is a beautiful experience; on one side, the alcoholic goes around the world with natural wines, a local whey spirit, and their wine from a collaboration with Bodega Murga.
On the non-alcoholic end, the paring touches the environment where the produce is sourced, producing juices, fermentations, distillations, and infusions to match the experience.
Kjolle has assembled a great team in front and back of the house, the experience has no limits, and the hospitality is top-notch. Produce, technique, textures, colors, sounds, everything is of a well-done symphony.
IN THE KNOW: Kjolle is located on Casa Tupac, 301 Pedro de Osma Ave. Barranco, reservations are required on their web. Is open from Wednesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner.
