Martin Morales is launching London's "first Peruvian bakery"

Chef Martin Morales will launch what is billed as London’s first Peruvian bakery next month.

The Ceviche restaurateur - and founding member of Apple's iTunes - will open Andina Panaderia on Westbourne Grove, next door to his latest restaurant Andina Picanteria on 8 May.

Morales says both sites will pay homage to the female Andean chefs who have inspired his team since he opened his first Ceviche restaurant in London in 2012.

The bakery will be led by head pastry chef Ana Velasquez and specialise in traditional Peruvian pastries, breads, salads and all-day brunch dishes to eat-in or takeaway.

Menu items will include Andean black mint and sweet potato sourdough; the Pastel de Lucuma - an Andean twist on the Portuguese custard tart; and cinnamon-scented chancay bread.

The open-plan bakery will also act as a space for London and Peruvian potters to sell their works through a series of collaborations and talks.

“My team and I have been travelling across the regions of the Andes meeting bakers, cooks, farmers and learning new recipes, techniques which we can’t wait to bring to London,” says Morales.

Andina Picanteria

The 40-cover Andina Picanteria restaurant will launch next door, with an open kitchen headed up by chef Luca Depalo.

It is described as an “ode to Peruvian picanterias”, the traditionally female-led “roadside restaurants that form the culinary hub of the community across the eleven regions of the Peruvian Andes”.

Its menu will focus on small plates such as sivinche - a take on ceviche with yellow fin tuna, trout roe and kiwicha; braised adobo pork leg; and a broad bean and roast pumpkin stew.

“We first introduced the flavours of the Andes to London in 2014 and over the years we’ve been busy travelling back to Peru discovering more about the traditions of the women-led picanterias,” says Raquel Oliveira, managing director at Ceviche.

Before becoming a chef Morales worked as a DJ and alongside Steve Jobs at Apple, where he was head of iTunes Pan Europe.

Since 2012 he has launched two Ceviche restaurants in Soho and Old Street, as well as Andina in Shoreditch and Casita Andina in Soho.

martin-morales-restaurant1.jpg