Page 112 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SPRING 2023 SPECIAL CRUISE EDTION
P. 112
Between meals we explored the city. But belongs to chef/owner Alejandro Chamorro and
more on that later… his wife and co-star Pia Salazar, newly named
Quito sits on a plateau high in the foothills of top pastry chef in Latin America.
the Andes, at 9,350 feet elevation. The chefs The accolades are bestowed by the Academy
we met during our five-day feeding frenzy gen- of Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants, a highly
erally agreed it’s the range of microclimates respected group of 300 leaders in the restau-
surrounding Quito that enables the magic they rant industry across Latin America.
make in their kitchens. They plan their menus Launched in 2014, Nuema, is a blend of the
around delectable morsels of paiche, a mild chefs’ three children’s names: Nuria, Emilio and
freshwater fish native to Martín. This summer the
the Amazon, sea bass and restaurant moved into
tuna caught off Ecuador’s sleek new digs: a contem-
Pacific coast, succulent porary multi-story home
pork raised on small farms that formerly housed the
in the highlands, root veg- Haitian Embassy in the
etables and wild berries city’s trendy La Floresta
native to the Andes, cray- neighborhood. The dining
fish and seaweed from the room, kitchen and bar
Galapagos. Their dishes ramble over most of the
make the most of cacao main and lower levels; up-
beans cultivated in the stairs there are contem-
Ecuadorean cloud forest – porary art galleries.
rare “Arriba” beans that Chamorro, who trained at
many agree make the Noma in Copenhagen, one
finest flavored chocolate of the top-rated restau-
in the world. rants in the world, calls
the place his “lifetime achievement award.”
Where to start? Nuema is where to go if you believe cooking
is an art form – a place where chefs mix and
There are many reasons why Quito’s Nuema meld profound flavors, aromas, shapes and col-
has been named the best restaurant in Ecuador ors on designer plates, the way Matisse and
for two years running – but the primary credit Monet layered oils on canvas.
112 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE SPRING 2023
