The restaurant and the menu in particular are linked to the Peruvian food research project Mater, and aims to make the different ecosystems of Peru experienceable in a multisensory manner by incorporating numerous hyperlocal, sometimes otherwise unknown or forgotten ingredients. From the website:
“An exploration of its country’s biodiversity, Central takes diners on a journey through every altitude, from 20 metres below sea level to 4,100 metres above it, in 17+ courses. The tasting menu is a reflection of Martínez and his sister’s research into ingredients in the Andes, the Amazon and the sea.
The menu: Diners can expect a colourful journey through Peruvian cuisine, taking in some better known dishes like ceviche while presenting many exotic fruits, vegetables and herbs that most customers won’t have heard of – let alone be able to pronounce. Courses on the Mater Elevations tasting menu include Spiders on a Rock with mussel, crab and abalone; Marine Soil with razor clams, sweet lemon, pepino and starflower; and Close Fishing, an octopus dish with yuyo, barquillo and squid.”