Restaurante Intimo | Author’s Cuisine in Pisac

In the heart of the Sacred Valley, in Pisac, Íntimo restaurant reinvents Peruvian cuisine with a personal, sustainable and ever-evolving approach. We spoke with its chef and founder, Alex Quiñones, to dive into the intimate universe of a cuisine that looks to the future without forgetting its roots.

1. To begin, how was Íntimo born and what philosophy inspires you?

The name Íntimo comes from a cuisine with a strong identity, a very personal vision. It is a cuisine where I give everything I know, with all the love I have for cooking. Íntimo is born from the depths of me, from the most intimate part of Alex. It is a personal, honest and sincere concept. My first approach to cooking was with my mother, with humble but creative recipes. There I learned that you could do many things with very few ingredients. That was the beginning, without yet knowing it, of my passion for gastronomy.

2. You worked in different kitchens in Peru and abroad. What were the major influences of those experiences?

I started in Peru, in very humble kitchens. Gradually I moved to more sophisticated kitchens. I had the opportunity to go abroad: I worked in Spain, Ibiza, also in São Paulo with Alex Atala. Then I returned to Peru and worked at Maido, Mayta, Central. I did internships in those restaurants where I understood that gastronomy went far beyond what I knew. Those experiences taught me that cooking can be technical, deep and connected to the territory. They definitely shaped my understanding of today's cuisine.

3. You talk about ancestral cuisine where people did "a lot with little". How does that philosophy reflect today in your restaurant?

That philosophy comes from necessity and creativity. It's about doing a lot with less: optimizing time, space and the product 100%. At Íntimo we apply this every day. We waste nothing. Every ingredient has a complete use. Necessity breeds creativity, and that's what we reflect in our cooking.

4. The restaurant opened in 2023. What were the first challenges of opening in the Sacred Valley?

The first challenges were very big. First, conceptualizing this cuisine, finding a clear direction. At the beginning it was very complicated: we started with a very traditional concept for a week or two, but then we chose a more difficult, more personal path. We trusted it and worked hard. The first weeks and months were complicated, but people reacted very well to what we showed. By the sixth month, Íntimo had already evolved a lot. We changed the menu week after week; to date we have changed more than 400 dishes. We have improved, technified and worked with a lot of technology. That today is reflected in our cuisine.

5. You define your cuisine as "constantly evolving". What does this evolution consist of?

Being in constant evolution comes from myself, as a cook. I reflect in my cuisine that constant search: new products, new changes, techniques and flavors. Evolution means always improving the menu, improving as a cook, always looking for roots, leaves, insects and anything that can serve gastronomy. It is an endless path.

6. You talk about uniting tradition and avant-garde. Can you give us a concrete example?

A clear example is our tasting menu. We go through the sea, the coast, the highlands and the jungle, uniting the different microclimates of Peru. We use modern techniques to enhance traditional ingredients. For example, when we are in the "Amazon" part of the menu, we create pairings with herbs and roots from the jungle. That union between the ancestral and the contemporary is what defines our identity.

7. You offer gluten-free, lactose-free options, a terrace and cooking workshops. What balance do you seek to offer your visitors?

We want each guest to have a unique experience in their life, gastronomically speaking. That's why we are very versatile in adapting to everyone's needs. We always ask if they have any dietary restrictions: lactose, gluten, sugar, etc. We ensure that no one leaves without fully enjoying their meal. The balance lies in offering quality, proximity and personalization.

8. The tasting menu is accompanied by an "ecosystem pairing". How did you design these pairings?

The pairing follows the course of the menu where you are. For example, there is a step called "Waters of the Amazon", which takes us into the jungle. For that moment, the pairing includes all the herbs and roots we can find in that ecosystem. With that we create a cocktail or a non-alcoholic drink. We try to balance the flavors without leaving the ecosystem we are in. That makes each pairing unique and authentic.

9. You mention an "optimal cuisine" that makes the most of time and ingredients. What concrete measures do you take daily to reduce waste?

Optimal cuisine for me is the cuisine of the future. It will change world gastronomy. It consists of using a product 100%, generating almost no waste or wasting food. We take care of the planet. Technology, creativity and responsibility go hand in hand. At Íntimo we apply this daily: from the complete use of vegetables to the reuse of parts that are normally discarded. I believe that this optimal cuisine, created in Peru, is incredible and very important.

10. What projects do you have for Íntimo in the coming years?

I don't have a clear idea yet, and that is also part of our path. But I want Íntimo to be more than a restaurant. Today it already is. I would like Íntimo to be one of the first to use this optimal cuisine concept applied to high gastronomy. I want to unite those gastronomic links and create something different. That we take care of the planet, that we love our territory, that we use 100% local products, without looking beyond the continent. With great respect, with great identity. In the future, I would like Íntimo to be like a gastronomic laboratory, without losing the essence of being 100% Peruvian. I believe we are on the right track. Íntimo is making its own path.

11. If you had to sum up the soul of Íntimo in three words, what would they be?

Cuisine of the future. More than a restaurant. Understanding the universe around us.

12. A final message for those who haven't visited Íntimo yet.

I want to tell people that if they visit Íntimo, they will expect many things, they will try new things and they will see cooking and food in a way never seen before. Íntimo is more than a restaurant, it is more than a space to share. It is understanding the universe around us. We await you with open hearts and the stove lit.