Francisco Araya’s culinary journey began in San Felipe, a small town in Chile’s central valley, where the kitchen was the heart of his family home. His father’s passion for cooking and his grandmother’s restaurants sparked an early fascination with flavour, fire, and the joy of gathering around food — lessons that shaped his belief that cuisine is memory, culture, and connection.
Although initially trained in technology, Francisco soon followed his instincts into the kitchen, beginning his career at Alma Restaurant in Santiago before moving abroad to refine his craft. His time at Mugaritz under Andoni Luis Aduriz and later at elBulli with Ferran Adrià profoundly shaped his creative approach, teaching him to view food as both art and emotion.
After returning to Chile to work at Boragó, he opened 81 in Tokyo in 2012, blending Chilean flavours with Japanese precision to great acclaim. Today, alongside his wife and pastry chef Fernanda Guerrero, he leads Araya in Singapore — a deeply personal restaurant celebrating Chilean and South American identity through elegant, contemporary cuisine. In 2025, he was honoured with The Best Chef Awards “One Knife” distinction for his innovative and heartfelt approach to gastronomy.
