Foresta is a restaurant born from a dialogue between ancestral memory and contemporary experimentation. Inspired by the pre-Columbian cuisine of the Andes, where volcanic rock was the essential cooking tool, the project translates this legacy into a culinary and architectural space that reinterprets tradition with a sculptural and technological language.

The heart of the restaurant is a series of monolithic islands, carved from a single piece of volcanic rock, which become open, multifunctional kitchens: grilling, oven, frying, and steaming coexist on their surfaces. These sculptures not only embrace haute cuisine technology but also allow chefs to work in front of diners, creating a gastronomic spectacle in which cooking becomes a performance and the act of eating a shared experience.

Above these islands, a poetic and surprising ceiling unfolds: a reflective surface, lined with nickel, that seems to flow like a liquid sky. Its cosmic character connects earth and firmament, evoking the vision of ancestral communities who interpreted nature as an indivisible whole. The restaurant's activities are dynamically reflected there, multiplying the sensorial experience and giving each dish a theatrical dimension.

The atmosphere is austere and powerful: natural concrete floors and walls, stone tables and tableware, stainless steel pieces that provide a raw, industrial tone, and black velvet-upholstered furniture to soften the space's mineral impact. Warm lighting envelops the space, making the experience feel intimate and welcoming, balancing the rustic with the sophisticated.

Foresta is situated halfway between the more informal tradition of sharing a meal around the fire and the precision of fine dining. It is a space where ancestral materials and techniques dialogue with contemporary haute cuisine, creating a unique experience in Quito: earthly and cosmic, intimate and spectacular.

Escudero elaborates: “Foresta’s design embraces the fluid relationship between space, light, and the natural world. The reflective ceiling allows the space to adapt and transform throughout the day, capturing the ever-evolving play of light. This dynamic quality reflects the Andean worldview, where the connection between the gods and the earth is represented by trees, our roots in the natural world. The “eye” of the reflective ceiling above the cooking and dining surfaces invites contemplation, evoking the union of the earthly and the divine, creating a space that is both grounded and transcendent.”