The winner of the 2021 ‘World’s Best Female Chef’ award, supported by the ‘World’s 50 Best Restaurants’, was announced and the award was given to Peruvian chef Pía León. The chef, who runs the restaurant Kjolle in Lima, Peru, is also known for being named ‘Latin America’s Best Female Chef’ in 2018.

“I’m happy – after so much work, it’s the perfect moment, the perfect platform to demonstrate that although it can be difficult at times, if you have the will and you know what you want, things do happen, in their own time and at the right moment,” she says.

William Drew, Director of Content for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, says: “It is an honour to name Pía León as The World’s Best Female Chef 2021. Her dedication to gender parity in her kitchen and her passion for using the indigenous ingredients of her country have set a benchmark for others. We don’t doubt that Pía’s work will be game-changing for the future of gastronomy and will contribute to helping more women succeed in some of the world’s best kitchens.”