From Chile to London: Mareida Showcases Chilean Culinary Talent

In the heart of London, one of the world’s most influential culinary capitals, Mareida restaurant has become a showcase for Chilean culinary talent. Through an approach that blends gastronomy, design, and cultural storytelling, the project aims to position Chilean flavors on the international stage and introduce them to new audiences.

Located in the Fitzrovia neighborhood, the restaurant offers an experience that goes beyond the dining table. Its menu draws inspiration from the country’s landscapes, ingredients, and traditions, while its interior design incorporates elements that evoke Chile’s geography and identity.

The project began to take shape in 2023, following an exploration of the potential of Chilean cuisine abroad. “The concept took shape that year, when I started spending a lot of time in Chile and we realized the enormous potential the country had to be represented in London,” explains Benjamín Figari, co-founder of the restaurant. “From there, we developed a project that took over a year and a half, involving designers, chefs, wine professionals, architects, and artists to explore how to showcase Chile from various perspectives.”

From the very beginning, the idea was for the site to serve as a platform to showcase Chilean talent abroad. “We wanted this to be a showcase for Chilean talent abroad, which is why we brought in artists, designers, architects, furniture makers, and various other creators,” adds Figari.

This approach is also reflected in the details of the space. Part of the decor features rocks sourced from Combarbalá—in northern Chile—which were selected in collaboration with architects and designers to visually evoke the colors and textures of the Andes Mountains, thereby incorporating elements of the Chilean landscape into the restaurant’s ambiance.

Merkén, sopaipillas, and hazelnuts

The culinary concept follows the same approach: contemporary cuisine centered on ingredients and cooking techniques that reflect the country’s gastronomic identity . Among these, dishes that incorporate Chilean ingredients and the stories behind them stand out. 

“The flavors have been very well received, and the quality of the food is truly spectacular—truly world-class,” says Figari. “What’s more, people really appreciate the storytelling behind the dishes. For example, when we tell the story of Carmenere, a grape variety that was believed to be extinct and was rediscovered in Chile.”

For the restaurant’s head chef, Nicolás Einersen, one of the things that most catches diners’ attention is the discovery of traditional ingredients. “We’ve received very good reviews. Merkén is a huge hit—it’s incredible; people also love the pebre and sopaipillas,” he notes. “We also have dishes featuring ingredients like Chilean hazelnuts, which we import directly from Chile and which spark a lot of curiosity among our customers.”

In the dessert section of the menu, pastry chef Marcelo Peláez has also seen how the country’s flavors surprise visitors. “We’ve been very well received by the public here in London. People aren’t very familiar with Chilean food, so they’re surprised by the flavors, the combinations, and the desserts,” he says. “It’s really wonderful for us because through our pastries we can also share a little bit of our culture.”

For Figari, this experience confirms Chilean cuisine’s ability to make a name for itself on the international stage. “We have enormous potential to showcase all this talent and all the incredible things we have to offer,” he says. “When people discover the creativity behind our cuisine and the quality of our products, it opens up a world of opportunity for us to keep moving forward.”

This is a view shared by Einersen, who highlights the current state of Chilean cuisine. “Chilean chefs have so much potential, and many of them should dare to venture out into the world,” he notes. “Chilean cuisine is evolving rapidly, and it has an incredible future ahead of it,” he emphasized.