Le Cirque Signature Bengaluru Welcomes Michelin-Starred Araya for an Exclusive Chile-Japan Culinary Pop-Up

For two evenings only, Chef Francisco Araya brings the flavours of Chile, Japanese precision and his culinary journey across Europe to The Leela Palace Bengaluru.

Bengaluru is set for a distinctive fine-dining encounter this September as Le Cirque Signature at The Leela Palace Bengaluru, in collaboration with Culinary Culture, welcomes Araya, Singapore’s Michelin-starred Chilean restaurant, for an exclusive two-day culinary pop-up.

Taking place on 11 and 12 September 2026, the experience will be led by Chefs Francisco Araya and Fernanda Guerrero, bringing together Chilean culinary heritage and Japanese technique through a tasting menu shaped by seasonality, provenance and craftsmanship.

The collaboration offers Bengaluru diners the opportunity to experience a cuisine that has travelled across continents while remaining deeply connected to its origins.

Chile, Reimagined Through Japan

Founded by Chefs Francisco Araya and Fernanda Guerrero, Araya is described as the world’s first and only Michelin-starred Chilean restaurant. Its cuisine draws from the chefs’ experiences across Chile, Japan and Europe, creating a distinctive dialogue between South American ingredients and Japanese culinary philosophy.

For Chef Francisco Araya, the connection is personal as much as culinary.

“Araya is deeply connected to Chile, to our memories and to the ingredients and traditions that shaped us. Japan has equally influenced the way we approach technique, precision and respect for every ingredient. Bringing these influences together is a reflection of our journey, and we are very happy to share that journey with guests in Bengaluru.”

Araya’s culinary story includes celebrated kitchens such as Mugaritz, Boragó and elBulli, as well as 81 Restaurant in Tokyo, where Chef Francisco earned a Michelin star in 2013 at the age of 29.

An Evening at Le Cirque Signature

The pop-up will unfold within the refined setting of Le Cirque Signature, whose Franco-Italian identity provides a contrasting yet complementary backdrop for Araya’s Chilean-Japanese cuisine.

The restaurant’s interiors combine beige, ebony and ochre tones beneath a grand Murano chandelier, while its al fresco setting opens towards The Leela Palace Bengaluru’s manicured gardens.

The result is an intimate setting designed to place the focus firmly on the food, with the restaurant’s established sense of ceremony adding to the occasion.

Naval Kukreti, EAM Food & Beverage, The Leela Palace Bengaluru, said:

“At Le Cirque Signature, we are always looking to create experiences that offer our guests something distinctive and memorable. Welcoming Araya, in collaboration with Culinary Culture, allows us to present a cuisine that is deeply rooted in Chilean heritage while shaped by the precision and philosophy of Japan. We are delighted to bring Chef Francisco Araya’s culinary journey to Bengaluru and believe Le Cirque Signature provides the perfect setting for this exceptional experience.”

A Tasting Menu Built Around Provenance

The evening’s curated tasting menu will offer both vegetarian and non-vegetarian journeys, allowing guests to explore the chefs’ interpretation of Chilean flavours through Japanese techniques.

The non-vegetarian menu begins with Ama ebi, followed by Tartlet with smoked eel mousse and caviar. The menu then moves into Hokkaido scallops ceviche with leche de tigre and avocado sorbet, before arriving at Kinki rockfish moqueca, a dish inspired by the traditional Brazilian-style preparation.

The vegetarian journey takes a similarly inventive route, beginning with Tomato meringue, followed by Cauliflower tartlet with Gruyère and merkén. Beetroot confit with quinoa and port gel follows, before Yuba moqueca brings the savoury course to a close.

Dessert arrives in the form of Pavlova with custard apple, fresh orange and meringue flowers, followed by chocolate bonbons.

Across both menus, the ingredients become a meeting point between different culinary cultures, with the chefs using technique and texture to reinterpret familiar references.

Two Nights, One Culinary Journey

For Bengaluru’s dining community, the collaboration offers more than a guest-chef dinner. It is an opportunity to experience a culinary philosophy shaped by movement—between Chile and Japan, South America and Asia, memory and technique.

The two-night experience will take place at Le Cirque Signature, The Leela Palace Bengaluru, on 11 and 12 September 2026, from 7:30 pm onwards.

The tasting experience is priced at INR 12,000++ for the non-alcoholic menu and INR 13,500++ for the alcoholic menu.

Reservations can be made at +91 8951974424.

For two evenings, Bengaluru gets to discover Chile through a Japanese lens—served within one of the city’s most elegant dining addresses.For two evenings only, Chef Francisco Araya brings the flavours of Chile, Japanese precision and his culinary journey across Europe to The Leela Palace Bengaluru.

Bengaluru is set for a distinctive fine-dining encounter this September as Le Cirque Signature at The Leela Palace Bengaluru, in collaboration with Culinary Culture, welcomes Araya, Singapore’s Michelin-starred Chilean restaurant, for an exclusive two-day culinary pop-up.

Taking place on 11 and 12 September 2026, the experience will be led by Chefs Francisco Araya and Fernanda Guerrero, bringing together Chilean culinary heritage and Japanese technique through a tasting menu shaped by seasonality, provenance and craftsmanship.

The collaboration offers Bengaluru diners the opportunity to experience a cuisine that has travelled across continents while remaining deeply connected to its origins.

Chile, Reimagined Through Japan

Founded by Chefs Francisco Araya and Fernanda Guerrero, Araya is described as the world’s first and only Michelin-starred Chilean restaurant. Its cuisine draws from the chefs’ experiences across Chile, Japan and Europe, creating a distinctive dialogue between South American ingredients and Japanese culinary philosophy.

For Chef Francisco Araya, the connection is personal as much as culinary.

“Araya is deeply connected to Chile, to our memories and to the ingredients and traditions that shaped us. Japan has equally influenced the way we approach technique, precision and respect for every ingredient. Bringing these influences together is a reflection of our journey, and we are very happy to share that journey with guests in Bengaluru.”

Araya’s culinary story includes celebrated kitchens such as Mugaritz, Boragó and elBulli, as well as 81 Restaurant in Tokyo, where Chef Francisco earned a Michelin star in 2013 at the age of 29.

An Evening at Le Cirque Signature

The pop-up will unfold within the refined setting of Le Cirque Signature, whose Franco-Italian identity provides a contrasting yet complementary backdrop for Araya’s Chilean-Japanese cuisine.

The restaurant’s interiors combine beige, ebony and ochre tones beneath a grand Murano chandelier, while its al fresco setting opens towards The Leela Palace Bengaluru’s manicured gardens.

The result is an intimate setting designed to place the focus firmly on the food, with the restaurant’s established sense of ceremony adding to the occasion.

Naval Kukreti, EAM Food & Beverage, The Leela Palace Bengaluru, said:

“At Le Cirque Signature, we are always looking to create experiences that offer our guests something distinctive and memorable. Welcoming Araya, in collaboration with Culinary Culture, allows us to present a cuisine that is deeply rooted in Chilean heritage while shaped by the precision and philosophy of Japan. We are delighted to bring Chef Francisco Araya’s culinary journey to Bengaluru and believe Le Cirque Signature provides the perfect setting for this exceptional experience.”

A Tasting Menu Built Around Provenance

The evening’s curated tasting menu will offer both vegetarian and non-vegetarian journeys, allowing guests to explore the chefs’ interpretation of Chilean flavours through Japanese techniques.

The non-vegetarian menu begins with Ama ebi, followed by Tartlet with smoked eel mousse and caviar. The menu then moves into Hokkaido scallops ceviche with leche de tigre and avocado sorbet, before arriving at Kinki rockfish moqueca, a dish inspired by the traditional Brazilian-style preparation.

The vegetarian journey takes a similarly inventive route, beginning with Tomato meringue, followed by Cauliflower tartlet with Gruyère and merkén. Beetroot confit with quinoa and port gel follows, before Yuba moqueca brings the savoury course to a close.

Dessert arrives in the form of Pavlova with custard apple, fresh orange and meringue flowers, followed by chocolate bonbons.

Across both menus, the ingredients become a meeting point between different culinary cultures, with the chefs using technique and texture to reinterpret familiar references.

Two Nights, One Culinary Journey

For Bengaluru’s dining community, the collaboration offers more than a guest-chef dinner. It is an opportunity to experience a culinary philosophy shaped by movement—between Chile and Japan, South America and Asia, memory and technique.

The two-night experience will take place at Le Cirque Signature, The Leela Palace Bengaluru, on 11 and 12 September 2026, from 7:30 pm onwards.

The tasting experience is priced at INR 12,000++ for the non-alcoholic menu and INR 13,500++ for the alcoholic menu.

Reservations can be made at +91 8951974424.

For two evenings, Bengaluru gets to discover Chile through a Japanese lens—served within one of the city’s most elegant dining addresses.