I wanted to create something that allowed me to use the seasons and the local from New York. It gave me more of a culinary playing field.


In Peruvian cuisine, particularly, you need to know where it stems or comes from. History and cuisine go hand in hand.


I knew Peruvian food from my childhood and only certain dishes that I liked or that my mom would make. I didn't have an understanding of all the cultural influences and the ingredients until I went on a culinary trip to Peru when I was 28.

Creativity would come first before technique. Food concept stems from creative. You're brainstorming, you're talking to your chefs, and you're basically creating a concept.


I always looked at Peruvian food as the food that I grew up eating, my homestyle food. I've never looked at it as food that I want to cook professionally, until I went too Peru and I saw what the local chefs were doing.