VIRGILIO MARTINEZ

Head chef at Lima

If I could recommend one dish on our menu, it would be the tiraditos (raw fish in a spicy sauce), a very traditional Peruvian dish.

Salt is the one ingredient I can’t live without. It’s fundamental to every savoury dish, and a contrasting element in desserts.

When I’m cooking for myself after a long day in the kitchen, I keep it very simple. Sometimes I love just a few slices of cheese!

If I could escape to any city in the world for a weekend of eating, it would have to be Tokyo, for the sense of history and tradition (and the amazing food, of course).

If I had to choose my last meal on Earth, it would be ceviche, without a doubt.

I think the reason Peruvian food is so popular in Dubai is because the dishes are simple, and it’s easy to adapt Peruvian flavours to suit any palate.

Lima might look trendy, but the food is traditional – it’s food we’ve been cooking our entire lives, and we’re eager to share it.

I’ve been featured on Chef ’s Table, and I love to binge-watch Netflix myself. My favourite show is Narcos.

My guilty pleasures are chocolate, raw fish and lots and lots of meat.

dining courtyard, next to La Ville Hotel, City Walk, Dubai, Fri to Tue noon to 1am, Wed to Fri noon to 2am. Tel: (800) 5462. Taxi: City Walk. limadubai.com