If you’ve ever eaten ceviche in London, or tasted the bitter chalkiness of a delicious pisco sour, it likely has Mr Martin Morales’ fingerprints on it. You do not need to have visited his restaurants Andina or Ceviche to feel the influence that this pioneer of Peruvian food has had on the capital. Ever since he opened his first restaurant, Ceviche, in 2012 – having left behind a high-flying job in the music industry – he has inspired countless other restaurants to serve this now popular South American food. He has since built a mini restaurant empire, released cookbooks and featured on TV. Below, he gives us an insight into his philosophy, his past, and what motivates him for the future.

We have just launched brand new menus across all our restaurants.

I love a challenge and when I first launched Ceviche, Peruvian food in the UK was just the seed of an idea. It grew into something big and beautiful. Now though, I want to go back to basics, explore the essence of Peruvian cuisine and bring out the most powerful flavours. London’s food scene is going through complex times, and for Ceviche and Andina, the new menu direction focuses on absolute classics in Peruvian food; those dishes with the biggest flavours – simple cooking but with lasting impressions.

Growing up I would visit my great aunts every weekend in Lima, where I lived as a child.

I was always fascinated with preparing the weekend meals and cooking with them. From the age of five, I would sit in their kitchen and help them with all kinds of prep. From sorting the lentils and peeling potatoes, to going to market with them and choosing the produce. I loved the vibrant colours of the markets, the smell of the cooking, the touch of the ingredients, the sounds of the fire and the chopping, and the taste of the dishes. This has never left me. They used to say “Aquí se cocina con cariño”, which means “here we cook with love” and so that’s become our motto at Ceviche and Andina.

We are deeply focused on authentic tradition which pays respect to the mama chefs who have carried our traditions for so many years.

I use powerful ingredients with high nutrition and big flavours, but with a gentle touch; I possess what we call in Peru “sazón” which is the ability to balance flavours well.

Ceviche sums up what we do best.

It’s fresh, it’s able to be adapted in a million ways, it’s vibrant like life itself, it has tons of zest, flavour, funk and nourishment, and it’s a memorable tasting experience. If I’m not surrounded by friends at any of our restaurants, you’ll find me eating Ethiopian, Chinese, Pakistani, Nigerian or Thai cuisine across London.

I love chefs who have flair and tradition, yet also seek great flavours first.

There are some great chefs in Peru, such as Mónica Huerta Alpaca from La Nueva Palomino in Arequipa in the Andes of Peru, who is a great inspiration due to her vast knowledge of our traditions of that region.

In the future, I want to create a home for homeless children, where they can be fed nutritious food and have the possibility of a great education.

It’s currently a work in progress, but our work at Amantani (a charity for which I am a trustee) has started that journey, and I am incredibly proud to be doing this.