An ambitious Chilean restaurant with a menu overseen by Santiago-based chef Carolina Bazán (pictured) opens tomorrow in Great Portland Street, Fitzrovia.
Mareida is the brainchild of first-time restaurateur Prenay Agarwal, a Mumbai-born former financier who acquired a taste for Chilean cuisine while living in Santiago.
Hailed as South America’s top female chef by the World’s 50 Best in 2019, Carolina has pioneered ‘New Chilean’ cuisine at her family-owned restaurant Ambrosia in Santiago for 12 years alongside her partner, sommelier Rosario Onetto, who is also involved with the new venture. Mareida’s kitchen will be run on a day-to-day basis by head chef Trinidad Vial Della Maggiora, assisted by a rotating roster of guest chefs from Chile.
The space has been designed by Santiago-based architect Macarena Aguilar, with artwork on the walls by Chilean artists and a soundtrack curated by Chilean DJ Raff.
Prenay says: “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 previewed with a week at guest-chef showcase restaurant Carousel last year, when its dishes included fish tartare with granita in an ice cream cone. Its sample menu includes a potato pancake served with cream and caviar; various empanadas; scallop with parmesan foam; Chilean wagyu with fried egg and fries; and dulce de leche flan with banana compote.
