Danitza Alpaca
Chef at Manifesto 13 in Madrid, blending Peruvian cooking with the restaurant's Italian roots, after training at Atrio, D.O.M. and Mugaritz.
- Bib Gourmand
1- Restaurants
- 1
- Born
- 1993 · Arequipa
Danitza Alpaca is a Peruvian chef, born in Arequipa in 1993, who trained at the Institut Paul Bocuse in Lima and worked at Atrio, D.O.M., Mugaritz and Astrid & Gastón before leading the kitchen at Oroya in Madrid. She has run Manifesto 13's kitchen since mid-2024, blending the restaurant's established Italian identity with her own Peruvian roots through French technique and Spanish product. In 2022 she won the "Alimento para el Espíritu" prize at the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Spain-Portugal competition.
Biography
Early years
Alpaca was born in Arequipa, Peru, in 1993. She began her studies at the Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola before training at the Institut Paul Bocuse in Lima, where she was selected as one of 20 students out of 400 applicants.
Career
Her professional background includes stints at Atrio in Cáceres, D.O.M. in São Paulo under chef Alex Atala, Mugaritz in San Sebastián, and Gastón Acurio's Astrid & Gastón in Lima. In 2021 she led the kitchen at the Mandarin Oriental Barcelona. In Madrid, she previously led the kitchen at Oroya, fusing Peruvian tradition with contemporary technique, before taking over the kitchen at Manifesto 13 in mid-2024 (a restaurant owned by the Peruvian-origin Duncan brothers), where she was tasked with keeping its Italian essence while folding in her own Peruvian culinary background. In 2022 she won the "Alimento para el Espíritu" prize at the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Spain-Portugal competition.
Philosophy
Alpaca describes her cooking at Manifesto 13 as "sensitive cuisine with identity and emotion": a crossing of Italian and Peruvian roots, worked through French technique and Spanish product. She has said her cooking starts from respect for the ingredient, for time and for its surroundings, working with local produce alongside imported ingredients when they add value and speak coherently to the dish.
Restaurants
Danitza Alpaca in our guides
Editorial guides featuring Danitza Alpaca’s restaurants.
Accolades
- ·"Alimento para el Espíritu" Prize, S.Pellegrino Young Chef España-Portugal (2022)
- ·Michelin Bib Gourmand, Manifesto 13
Frequently asked
Who is the chef at Manifesto 13 in Madrid?
Danitza Alpaca, a Peruvian chef from Arequipa who trained at the Institut Paul Bocuse in Lima and previously worked at Atrio, D.O.M., Mugaritz and Astrid & Gastón.
What cuisine does Manifesto 13 serve?
A blend of Italian and Peruvian cooking, reflecting the restaurant's Italian roots and chef Danitza Alpaca's own Peruvian background, worked through French technique and Spanish product.
Where did Danitza Alpaca cook before Manifesto 13?
She previously led the kitchen at Oroya in Madrid, fusing Peruvian tradition with contemporary technique, before taking over at Manifesto 13 in mid-2024.
Where was Danitza Alpaca born?
She was born in Arequipa, Peru, in 1993, and trained at Peru's Institut Paul Bocuse in Lima, one of 20 students selected out of 400 applicants for the program.
Has Danitza Alpaca won any awards?
Yes. In 2022 she won the "Alimento para el Espíritu" prize at the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Spain-Portugal competition, recognizing her commitment to Peruvian culinary roots.
Does Manifesto 13 have a Michelin Bib Gourmand?
Yes. Manifesto 13, in Madrid's Trafalgar neighbourhood, holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand.