Hailing from Peru, Recarte joins the Fitzrovia restaurant having worked in some of the world’s most respected kitchens, including Astrid y Gastón in Lima, D.O.M. in São Paulo, Enigma and Pakta in Barcelona, and Le Calandre in Padova, as well as projects in Milan, Palermo, Singapore, Doha, and Bali.
He will oversee a refreshed menu launching 13 October, which is said to honour the restaurant’s legacy while bringing a refreshing take on Peruvian gastronomy. Highlights will include A5 wagyu tiradito with crispy potato and ají panca; and St Austell Bay mussels on toast with oyster mayo and guanciale; causa - one of Peru’s most recognisable dishes - with Cornish white crab, avocado and curled endive salad; and Isle of Skye scallops with beef fat persillade and seasonal greens.
Other dishes will include a classic ceviche; Cornish octopus with kimchi and confit potatoes; catch of the day with preserved candied tomato and almond cream; and Ibérico pluma with roasted summer cabbage and plum chimichurri.
“For me, cooking is about storytelling,” says Diego. “At LIMA, I want the new menu to put Peru’s incredible flavours and ingredients at the forefront, while also bringing something fresh and modern to the table for London diners,” says Recarte.
“The dishes are honest, full of character, and offer something new and enticing.
LIMA was founded in 2012 by brothers Gabriel and José Luís Gonzalez and held a Michelin star between 2013 and 2018.
“From the beginning, we wanted LIMA to be about more than just food; it was about sharing Peru’s culture, spirit, and energy with London,” says founder Gabriel Gonzalez.
“With Diego leading the kitchen, we’re stepping into an exciting new phase that honours that original vision while embracing his fresh ideas and innovation.”