Juan Luis Martínez

Juan Luis Martínez was born in Venezuela and came to Peru where he trained at some of Lima's most important restaurants — including Central under Virgilio Martínez (no relation) and Kjolle under Pía León, where he was deeply shaped by the Mater Iniciativa approach to Peruvian biodiversity and native ingredients. He opened Mérito in 2019 in San Isidro, creating a personal cuisine that draws simultaneously from his Venezuelan roots (corn, cacao, tropical fruits, arepa culture) and his Peruvian formation (native tubers, coastal seafood, Andean ingredients). Mérito reached #26 World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2025 — the fastest rise of any Lima restaurant in recent years — and has become the defining expression of the Venezuela-Peru culinary dialogue.