One of the architects of Peru’s inevitable progress in the world of gastronomy, chef of Maido Restaurant, Mitsuharu Tsumura is creates an example to the Nikkei cuisine which is a cuisine that formed with cultural collision between Japanese immigrants and the cultures they encountered when they first arrived in new countries.

Chef Mitsuharu ‘Micha’ Tsumura’s Restaurant is the owner of 1st spot in Latin America’s 50 Best List in a two year row. Chef Micha who speaks at the the 50 Best Award Ceromony says: “We love what we do and, not just at work, but overall when someone has fun and does things with love then I think they turn out well.”

The restaurant located in Lima’s Miraflores neighborhood features a 15-course meal that provides a wide range of Peruvian ingredients like seafood and coca, among many others, done in a masterful way. Micha explains the Nikkei cuisine with these words: “I see Japan as classical music, I see Peru as hard rock or heavy salsa and when you get these two mixes together you create a wonderful balance. Nikkei works because it’s Yin and Yang”

Nikkei cuisine, which has a history of 80 to 100 years, is considered to be the youngest cuisine in the world. It is based on the idea that those who migrate from Japan to another country are reinterpreting their culinary culture with their culture, products and techniques.

Chef Tsumura, says he follows only one rule in Maido’s kitchen in an interview he gave the Fine Dining Lovers: “Both of the kitchens DNA must be there.” What he meant with the DNA is, using of lime with chilli and soy sauce. “Because these are the unique products that symbolises that cuisine. You can add whatever you want, miso, nori, dashi, you can ferment things, dehydrate them – whatever you want – but that DNA of the cuisine must be there, that mix of citrus, spice and soy.”