The World’s Best Beef Is Peruvian — and It’s Coming from Trujillo

Peru is not historically known as a beef-producing country. Its culinary reputation has been built on seafood, biodiversity, and ancestral products rather than cattle. That is precisely why what is happening today in Trujillo feels so unexpected yet significant.

Recently, a grain-fed striploin produced in northern Peru won Gold Medal at the Campeonato Mundial de Carnes (CMDc), earning the title of Best Striploin in the World in its category. The beef did not come from Argentina, the United States, or Australia. It came from Peru.

We traveled to Trujillo to understand how this happened: from the cattle in the barn to the steak on the grill, and to taste it for ourselves.

A “Criolla” Cow with World-Class Results

The cattle behind this award-winning beef are crossbred criolla peruana cows, raised locally. While the label may sound modest, the results are anything but.

Grain-fed and carefully selected, these animals produce a striploin with remarkable marbling and depth of flavor. At the judging table, the Peruvian cut stood shoulder to shoulder — and ultimately above — samples from traditional beef powerhouses. On the palate, it delivers richness, balance, and texture comparable to top-tier American and Argentine beef samples we were able to try.

There is no heroic, century-old ranching legend behind this success. What exists instead is a convergence of genetics, feeding, territory, and decision-making that, almost by chance, aligned at the right moment. 

From the Field to the Grill

The beef is produced by local rancher Emilio Cubas and developed in close collaboration with the team behind La Estampida Parrilladas. Selection of the animals is overseen by the restaurant’s FireChef and master grillman Ricardo Castro, ensuring that only cuts with the right structure and fat distribution move forward.

Processing and aging take place under controlled conditions, with both dry and wet aging options ranging from 14 to 21 days. The goal is precision, letting the meat express itself without unnecessary intervention.

La Estampida: Where the Best Beef in the World Is Served

La Estampida is the place that motivated this journey. It is where the world-champion striploin can be tasted in Trujillo, cooked with confidence and restraint. The restaurant is a passion project led by Alfonso Rebaza, a lawyer by training who entered the gastronomic world simply because he loves eating and drinking well. That personal obsession defines the project’s spirit.

The space itself reinforces the concept. Designed by Blanco Design Studio and executed by Chaco Arquitectos, the restaurant features a double-height dining room alongside an open-air patio with private seating areas. While grilled meat in Trujillo is traditionally associated with nighttime dining, we visited for lunch, intentionally reversing the local custom to try more and digest it, literally and figuratively.

At the table, the award-winning Peruvian striploin was served alongside equivalent cuts from Argentina and the United States, tasted without prior explanation. The comparison was direct, honest, and revealing. The Peruvian beef held its ground, and then some.

The experience extends beyond the steak. La Estampida offers a thoughtful wine selection from world-class brands, including an increasing presence of Peruvian wines. Desserts, designed by pastry chef Karla Bretoneche, close the meal with classic, well-balanced flavors, refreshing, creamy, and powerful, a little bit for each palate.

Later that same day, we returned in the evening to experience the restaurant in a different rhythm: smaller plates, cocktails by Axel Romero, and a full dining room that confirmed the concept’s versatility.

A Butcher Shop, Too — and a Bigger Picture

The project also includes La Estampida Carnicería, a butcher shop where the same signature beef can be purchased for take-home. Beyond retail, the shop offers workshops on grilling techniques, as well as a selection of wines, spirits, and ready-to-drink cocktails, extending the restaurant’s philosophy into everyday cooking.

Why This Matters

What is happening in Trujillo goes beyond a medal or a single cut of meat. It signals a shift in how Peru can think about its products, its regions, and its potential. There is quality. There is talent. What is needed now is alignment between the gastronomic community, the hospitality sector, and regional institutions to ensure these efforts are sustained and visible.

The world’s best striploin being Peruvian is not a coincidence. It is a reminder that Peru’s culinary story is still being written, sometimes in unexpected places and with unexpected products.