MAZ

The story

MAZ Tokyo: Virgilio Martínez's Peruvian Fine Dining in Chiyoda

MAZ

In Tokyo’s Kioicho district, MAZ is the Japanese outpost of Virgilio Martínez, the chef behind Lima’s world-renowned Central. Born from his research institute Mater, the restaurant is guided by the motto “Afuera hay más” — “there is more outside.” It translates the biodiversity of Peru’s landscapes—from the Andes to the Amazon—onto a Tokyo plate, filtered through a new, local perspective.

The team is led by head chef Yūya Nakamura, who brings international experience from Slovenia, Sweden, and Peru, and hospitality director Carla Ferreyra, a longtime member of the Central and Mater family. Together, they interpret Martínez’s philosophy of studying altitude and ecosystem, using ingredients and cultural knowledge to build a new gastronomic experience.

The core menu, “Vertical Gaze,” is a journey through nine distinct altitudes, a tasting course that mirrors the topography of Peru. A vegetable-only version of the same journey is also available, reflecting the kitchen’s deep respect for produce. Each dish is the result of rigorous research into the relationship between land, people, and ingredients.

The approach has earned MAZ two Michelin stars in the Tokyo 2026 guide, recognition of its precise, thoughtful cooking. The dining room, with just 20 seats, offers a setting that is both refined and welcoming, with an outdoor terrace and a wine pairing program that begins in Peru and travels through the world’s finest wine regions.

MAZ is not a replica of a Lima restaurant in Tokyo. It is a new chapter, where the ecosystems of Peru are studied with a Japanese gaze, and the result is a cuisine that feels both foreign and utterly at home.