Pía Salazar is an Ecuadorian chef and pastry chef at Nuema in Quito, where she pushes the boundaries of dessert-making with bold, unexpected flavors. Passionate about balancing sweetness with herbs and savory elements, she has redefined Ecuadorian pastry with her avant-garde approach. After honing her craft in Switzerland and at Astrid & Gastón in Quito, she co-founded Nuema with her husband, Alejandro Chamorro, showcasing Ecuador’s biodiversity through innovative cuisine. Recognized globally, she was named Latin America’s Best Pastry Chef in 2022 and the World’s Best Pastry Chef in 2023 by The World's 50 Best.
Introduce yourself to our members
Hello everyone! I am Pía Salazar, an Ecuadorian Chef & Pastry Chef at Nuema in Quito, the capital of Ecuador.
Tell us about your current project
In 2014, NUEMA opened in the City of Quito. It’s a restaurant project where we wanted to show the Ecuadorian biodiversity pantry. In 2024 I opened my pastry shop called PIA where we started making pastries and bakeries using local products. And we are in the process of opening Stelma in 2025 where we will work with rescuing old recipes and put them in a modern context of the Ecuadorian cookbook.
Tell us about the restaurant scene in Quito.
The restaurant scene in Quito is growing, and more and more restaurants are opening with chefs who focus on good cuisine in more relaxed formats.
Any new restaurants in Quito that you think are doing great things?
Yes, there are many! I think that more important than naming a restaurant would be the strong influence of Amazonian products in the local culinary scene. The pantry of that region of the equator is as suggestive as it is infinite. More and more chefs are incorporating them into their menus and I think that is more important at the end of the day.
"The pantry of Amazonia is as suggestive as it is infinite. More and more chefs in our region are incorporating them into their menus and I think that is more important at the end of the day."
Do you have any hidden gems that you want to highlight in Quito?
Without a doubt, the representation of local culinary traditions reinterpreted by young chefs cooking the regional cuisines of Ecuador such as the Andean, Amazonian and coastal cuisines.
What is your favorite type of restaurant and why?
My favorite restaurant will always be the one that takes a different and risky view of the conventional, that is fun but at the same time serious enough to be a cuisine with character.
What are your three favorite food cities and your favorite restaurants in those cities?
Buenos Aires - Don Julio is the award winning parrilla by Pablo Rivero, serving amazing grilled meats accompanied by some of the best wines in Argentina.
Mexico City - Rosetta is the creation of Elene Reygadas and her culinary vision. It’s located in a charming old house in the Roma district in Mexico City.
Sao Paolo - At Evvai, located in São Paulo’s fancy Jardins neighbourhood, chef Luiz Filipe Souza serves his immigrant inspired Italian dishes.
What is your favorite dish and where is your favorite restaurant to eat it?
I'm a big fan of ceviches and the ones at Gastón Acurio’s flagship cebichería La Mar in Lima are delicious.
Who is an up-and-coming chef you're keeping a close eye on?
We are always looking out for Marsia Taha from Bolivia! And now even more with his new project called Arami in La Paz. We believe it has great potential on the Latin American scene.
Who is a food expert whose restaurant recommendations you would like to see?
We really like what Italian food writer Paolo Vizzari describes, tells and writes.
