A new restaurant celebrating the food of Chile is to open in Fitzrovia this month as South American cooking continues to move into the spotlight.
Mareida is a debut venture from Mumbai-born restaurateur Prenay Agarwal, a former financier who has brought in one of the world’s most celebrated chefs, Carolina Bazán, to oversee the menu alongside head chef Trinidad Vial Della Maggiora, unknown in London as it stands.
Also involved is the sommelier Rosario Onetto, who has worked with Bazán at her acclaimed restaurant Ambrosia in Santiago, Chile, since it opened under a new guise in 2013 (it was then the duo took over the business from Bazán’s parents).
Chilean food is not hugely represented in London and so Mareida is an enticing prospect – the menu will pay homage to the country’s diversity, with dishes from coastline to mountain range.
Dishes on the first menu will include empanadas, wagyu sliders and scallops with parmesan foam, and there’ll be the likes of steak and eggs and king crab stew among the main courses.
The wine list will do the same in reflecting Chilean culture, harking back to the sun-drenched vineyards of Atacama in the north and the cooler, forested landscapes of the south.
Chilean culture goes further at Mareida. The space has been designed by renowned Santiago-based architect Macarena Aguilar and artwork by Chilean artists has been chosen for the walls. Chilean musician DJ Raff has curated a soundtrack of music from his homeland alongside others from neighbouring Peru and Bolivia.
There will also be a rotating series of guest chefs from the Southern Andes over the coming months.
Prenay, who grew up in Hong Kong and trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Tokyo after a career in finance, said: “Travel and food are inextricably linked and I’ve been lucky enough to live in many countries, but none of which have stood out to me as much as Chile.
“After meeting my partner, who is Chilean, I spent over a year in the country and completely immersed myself in its food scene. I was taken aback by the abundant flavours and dishes of the underexplored cuisine.
“That’s why I’ve opened Mareida – I want to share my love of the country and show London everything that it has to offer.”
Mareida arrives as South and Central American food continues to gain greater recognition in London and the UK. Though parts of London – such as Elephant and Castle – have long had significant South American food scenes, it is only more recently that chefs have gained due recognition.
The most notable might be Kol, the Mexican chef Santiago Lastra’s hit London restaurant which has featured on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list since 2022, three years after Bazán was named the world’s best female chef.
Mareida is set to open its doors in Fitzrovia on June 14 at 160 Great Portland Street, Fitzrovia. mareida.co.uk
