Gastón Acurio

[4] According to a study by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) about innovation in Peruvian cuisine (2022), Acurio's influence on the cuisine of Peru and Latin America —where Europe has traditionally been regarded as a model of haute cuisine— has been very significant.

Other innovative chefs from Peru, such as Virgilio Martínez, Micha Tsumura, Pedro Schiaffino, Toshi Matsufuji and Hector Solís, have acknowledged a debt to him and consider him their community builder and leader.

In 2019, the IDB chose him to teach the Enrique V. Iglesias Chair on Culture and Development.

On that occasion, Trinidad Zaldívar, head of the IDB's Creativity and Culture Unit, said at its headquarters in Washington, DC: "This was a recognition to Gastón for his work promoting the progress of Latin America and the Caribbean through gastronomy.

And we want it to also be an inspiration for the thousands of entrepreneurs and innovators in the region, who are committed to the potential of the Orange Economy to contribute to the economic and social development of their countries".