Chef Diego Telles: Founder of Flor De Lis Restaurant
Chef Diego Telles, one of Guatemala’s most representative and creative chefs, is a prominent figure in Guatemalan gastronomy. He is the founder of Flor de Lis Restaurant, one of the highest expressions of Guatemalan cuisine, and is known for his innovation in the culinary arts.
Chef Diego Telles
Diego Telles’s interest in cooking was sparked by watching his mother bake cakes, planting a small seed of culinary curiosity. After embarking on a culinary career at Intecap, he had the opportunity to learn from two of the world’s most important chefs and restaurants: Andoni Luis Aduriz’s Mugaritz (whom he later invited to Guatemala) and René Redzepi’s Noma, an undoubtedly unique and formative experience.
In 2013, he established Flor de Lis Restaurant in Antigua Guatemala, where his famous “confit tomatoes” were born, using the nixtamalization technique alongside an incredible menu. Later, they relocated to Ciudad Cayalá, where they spent a few years in what seemed like “paradise.”
By fate, in 2017, they moved to Zone 4, known as “the underworld,” where Flor de Lis – Xibalbá was born. This was the result of a magical and undoubtedly unique connection with the roots of Flor de Lis, which we hope to share in more detail in another publication.
Chef Diego Telles and his team are undeniably among the main architects of the gastronomic revolution that everyone is talking about, creatively shaping and introducing a new Guatemalan cuisine.
Some of the distinctive techniques that have characterized Diego Telles and his team include the use of smoke, nixtamalization, fermentations, ashes, and the utilization of fire, among other more advanced culinary methods acquired through his experiences with renowned chefs.
Among the various accolades he has received, he was recognized as Chef of the Year in 2016 at the Tenedor de Oro awards.
Flor de Lis Restaurant, led by Chef Diego Telles
Tells stories through its cuisine. Their dishes are pure Guatemalan Author Cuisine inspired by the Popol Vuh.
Flor de Lis is a contemporary Guatemalan cuisine restaurant created by one of the most prominent figures in Guatemalan gastronomy, Chef Diego Telles. Located on the ground floor of Casa Del Águila, in Cuatro Grados Norte, you can experience a series of dishes crafted using modern techniques combined with ancestral procedures, all inspired by the Popol Vuh, the Quiché Maya book of wisdom.
The result is a unique and avant-garde style of cuisine in Guatemala.
“We eat culture, we serve history.” The Popol Vuh is a universal statement about the nature of the world and the role of humanity in it. Thanks to our team’s vision, its writings intertwine with the art we practice daily: cooking. Let us guide you through an experience enriched by the multicultural diversity that makes our Guatemala truly unique.
Diego Telles. Flor de Lis Restaurant’s culinary proposal is based on a tasting menu. With each dish, you will hear the excerpt from the Popol Vuh that inspired it and how it is reflected in the plate. Their aim is for your experience at the restaurant to transcend the boundaries of a conventional dinner, creating a story that you will love to recount over time.
We invite you to visit Flor de Lis, one of the most representative restaurants in Guatemalan gastronomy, and savor its spectacular tasting menu.
The renowned Flor de Lis-Xibalbá restaurant is located at: Ruta 3, Via 5, Casa del Águila Ground Floor – Zone 4 – Guatemala.