Commemorative Award

When Santiago Jarrín brought La Gloria to Quito more than a decade ago, he wasn’t just expanding a brand from Lima, he was rekindling a flame he had lit himself. Long before Ecuador’s culinary awakening, he understood what Peru had proven to the world: that a gastronomic movement could lift a nation’s cuisine out of obscurity and into global recognition. For Ecuador, he envisioned the same destiny, a leap forward driven by excellence, innovation, and uncompromising standards.

From the very beginning, Santiago was a pioneer. At a time when few Ecuadorians pursued hospitality or tourism, he trained in Italy and Spain, returning home to become Director of Sales at Hilton Colón in Quito and Guayaquil. From that position, he helped place Ecuador on the map as a destination of true hospitality, setting new benchmarks for service and professionalism.

In 2003, as Quito’s Historic Center underwent its long-awaited revival, Santiago saw an opportunity to breathe new life into a landmark. The result was Teatrum, on the second floor of the Teatro Sucre, a restaurant that turned dining into performance within one of the city’s most beautiful buildings. The concept catapulted Teatrum into the national spotlight and marked a turning point in Ecuadorian fine dining.

Teatrum began with a Mediterranean inspired menu but soon evolved into an exploration of Ecuadorian flavors and ingredients, reinterpreted with creativity and sophistication. It was among the first to prove that Ecuador’s cuisine could stand shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world.

Alongside lifelong partners, Santiago went on to create La Casona de La Ronda, a boutique project in the heart of Quito’s Old Town that embodied his vision of heritage tourism: intimate, ethical, and refined. Yet it was La Gloria that became his greatest source of pride, a space where gastronomy and wine converged at the highest level. Here, he poured his passion into curating one of Quito’s most distinguished wine cellars and worked closely with talented Peruvian chefs to design a menu perfectly attuned to the local palate.

Passionate, meticulous, and unwavering, Santiago lived life with intensity. He was driven by beauty, by the wish that every guest would leave having experienced something truly memorable. His legacy endures in every dish served at La Gloria, from the now-iconic crispy guinea pig legs he brought to the menu with wit and sensitivity, and to his belief that one day Ecuador would stand proudly on the world’s culinary stage. Thanks to his vision, that day has come.