Pía León is one of those fascinating individuals who knew exactly what she wanted to be when she grew up…and actually accomplished it. León grew up baking delectable sweets, like her lemon pie and carrot cake, before deciding to attend Le Cordon Bleu in her hometown of Lima, Peru. She went on to join the then-new restaurant Central, which was named best restaurant in Latin America just five years later by The World’s 50 Best—a title Central would hold for three years running. In 2018, she struck out on her own to open Kjolle, a restaurant celebrating Peru’s vibrant local ingredients. That same year, she was dubbed the best female chef in Latin America. But last year, León was named the world’s best female chef of 2021 by The World’s 50 Best, giving her global recognition for her work.
