Luis Cornejo
Peruvian executive chef of Llama Inn in Madrid, raised in Gastón Acurio's kitchens in Lima and Barcelona, cooking what he calls Peruvian migration food.
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Luis 'Lucho' Cornejo is the executive chef of Llama Inn in Madrid's Chueca. Born in Piura, in northern Peru, he trained in Lima with Gastón Acurio's group, including La Mar and Astrid & Gastón, then cooked in Barcelona as senior sous-chef at Yakumanka, head chef at Terrat in the Mandarin Oriental and head chef at GoXO by Dabiz Muñoz. Llama Inn's founders brought him in to open the Madrid restaurant, which he led from October 2022; after about a year away he returned in 2026 with a shorter carta and a Trust the Chef Peruvian omakase.
Biography
Early years
Luis Cornejo was born in Piura, in northern Peru, and found his calling in kitchens young. At 16 he moved to Lima to train, starting out in local restaurants before joining Acurio Restaurantes, where he worked across the group's operations and went on to La Mar and Astrid & Gastón.
Career
With Gastón Acurio's group he moved to Barcelona, as senior sous-chef at Yakumanka and then head chef at Terrat, Acurio's restaurant inside the Mandarin Oriental. He was also head chef at GoXO by Dabiz Muñoz in Barcelona. In 2021 the founders of Llama Inn, chef Erik Ramírez and Juan Correa, brought him in to open their Madrid restaurant, and he led the kitchen when it opened on Calle Conde Xiquena on 15 October 2022. After about a year away, which took in time in New York, he returned in 2026 to front a new stage for the restaurant. Along the way he has lived in Medellín, Italy, Barcelona, Madrid and New York.
Philosophy
Cornejo wants Llama Inn to be, in his words, a neobistró of Peruvian migration, where the roots stay but evolve with a contemporary eye. He's said tradition doesn't have to be the limit for Peruvian cooking. Two dishes are fixed, the scallop ceviche with pitaya and crispy nori and the cabbage anticucho, and around them he rebuilt a shorter carta of snacks, sharing plates and La fiesta final, plus a Trust the Chef option that works as a Peruvian omakase, adapted to the day and the diner.
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Editorial guides featuring Luis Cornejo’s restaurants.
Frequently asked
Who is the chef at Llama Inn Madrid?
Luis 'Lucho' Cornejo is Llama Inn Madrid's executive chef. He led the kitchen at its October 2022 opening and came back in 2026 to run the restaurant's new stage.
Where is Luis Cornejo from?
He was born in Piura, in northern Peru, and moved to Lima at 16 to train as a cook. He has since lived in Medellín, Italy, Barcelona, Madrid and New York.
Where did Luis Cornejo train?
In Lima, first in local restaurants and then with Acurio Restaurantes, including La Mar and Astrid & Gastón. In Barcelona he was senior sous-chef at Yakumanka and head chef at Terrat, both Gastón Acurio restaurants.
Did Luis Cornejo work with Dabiz Muñoz?
Yes. He was head chef at GoXO by Dabiz Muñoz in Barcelona before joining Llama Inn to open its Madrid restaurant.
What is Luis Cornejo's cooking style?
Contemporary Peruvian cooking he calls a neobistró of Peruvian migration: the roots stay but evolve. He's said tradition doesn't have to be the limit for Peruvian food.
What should you order at Llama Inn Madrid?
The two dishes Cornejo says can't change: the scallop ceviche with pitaya and crispy nori, and the cabbage anticucho. For the full ride, the Trust the Chef option works as a Peruvian omakase.