Blog |Mil Centro More Than a Restaurant

Hello, bloggers! Welcome today to Mil Centro in Moray, Cusco, where haute cuisine and history await you. As part of the Mater Project, we collaborate with local communities, highlighting ancestral ingredients and techniques. Enjoy a unique gastronomic experience in a magical setting, where every dish tells a story.

Table of Contents

MIL CENTRO: VIRGILIO MARTINEZ

Mil Centro, led by Peruvian chef Virgilio Martínez in Moray, Cusco, offers a unique culinary experience that celebrates Peruvian Andean biodiversity. Supported by Mater, this interdisciplinary project works with local communities in initiatives such as Chacra MIL and Masamama, promoting sustainable agriculture and fair trade. In addition, our artistic and botanical practices safeguard ancestral traditions, while our tasting menus take diners on a journey through Andean ecosystems. At Mil Centro, we connect people with the land and culture that surrounds us.

WHY MATER DE MIL CENTRO?

Mater is an interdisciplinary organization that seeks to articulate knowledge through research, interpretation and cultural expressions.

We seek to integrate, creating an expandable network, based on a deep understanding of food, nature, cultures, and the environment.

TEXTILE ART

The fruit of our practice is translated into utilitarian pieces of cotton dyed with local botanicals from Mullak’as Misminay, available in the commercial channel of Mater en Mil. This platform makes collaborative projects and artistic research visible, allowing the sale of products developed together with neighboring communities. We re-signified memories and textile iconographies with the women of the Riqchari Chaska collective, sustaining life among apus.

BOTANICA: CHACRA MIL PROJECT

The Chacra MIL project, an initiative of MATER, brings the neighbors of the communities of Mullak’as Misminay and K’acllaraccay in Moray, where MIL is located. On 1.39 hectares and at 3,540 m.a.s.l., this research center cultivates ancestral species, maintaining traditions and collaborating with local farmers passionate about diversified and regenerative agriculture. Here, the agricultural heritage of our ancestors is lived and celebrated.

At MIL, we celebrate the harvests with enthusiasm, distributing the products equally: 50% for us and 50% for the communities of Mullak’as Misminay and K’acllaraccay. Our 50% enriches our gastronomic proposal and strengthens our seedbed, rescuing the most prosperous crops of each season.

COOKING: PERUVIAN WHEAT

Martín dreams of a nutritious Peruvian wheat bread that is accessible to all, including farmers, millers, transporters and the environment. Masamama, supported by Mater, seeks to plant more wheat and give value to this cereal, creating a virtuous circle of positive impact. Like sourdough bread, the project is growing and expanding little by little.

UNIQUE DINING EXPERIENCES AT MORAY

Each dish at Mil Centro is a work of art, created with local ingredients and innovative presentations that reflect the different altitudes of the Andes. The tasting menu takes diners on a journey through diverse ecosystems, from the sea to the mountains, capturing the authentic flavors of the Peruvian Andes.

Immersions

Be a spectator and be part of all the components that orbit around Mil. A day that includes a crop farm, endemic plant route, the ins and outs of the Mater actions, and meeting local characters, before embarking on an 8-step tasting menu.

Tasting menu:

A THOUSAND WORLDS

A journey through 8 high altitude ecosystems of our environment.

VEGETAL WORLD

A journey through 8 ecosystems of plant heights.

Connecting with Local Communities

Mil Centro works closely with local communities, promoting sustainable agriculture and fair trade. By collaborating with farmers and producers in the region, we not only ensure the freshness and quality of ingredients, but also support the local economy and preserve ancestral traditions.

Visiting Mil Centro is more than just enjoying a meal; it is connecting with the land and the people who grow it, creating an experience that enriches both the palate and the spirit.