Flavors Unknown

Itamae: A Family Affair of Peruvian and Japanese Flavors

Chef Nando Chang

In this episode of flavors unknown, we had the pleasure of speaking with Chef Nando Chang at Itamae, a Nikkei-style restaurant in Miami's Design District. Chef Nando shared with us his unique culinary background and his passion for Nikkei cuisine, which combines Japanese and Peruvian flavors.
Growing up in Peru, Chef Nando was exposed to a rich tapestry of flavors and aromas that influenced his approach to cooking. He shares with us the dishes that remind him of his childhood and the most influential person in his career. He also explains how he defines Peruvian cuisine and the top three must-try Peruvian and Nikkei dishes. At Itamae, Chef Nando works alongside his sister and father, and we got an insight into how they work together and their individual areas of focus.
Listen to my conversation with chef Nando Chang on Apple Podcast here!
Listen to my conversation with chef Nando Chang on Spotify here!

What you'll learn from chef Nando Chang at Itamae

The smells that remind chef Nand Chang of his childhood 4:21
The flavors of Peru 5:21
Chef Nando Chang's young love for spicy food 6:13
The rich cultural diversity of Peruvian food 7:52
How African culture shaped Peruvian cuisine 8:53
One of his favorite Peruvian dishes 12:18
Chef Nando Chang's favorite type of ceviche and how it’s made 13:29
The shellfish he loves the most, only found in northern Peru 15:07
His recipe for Leche de tigre 15:59
How he describes the food at Itamae 18:39
The unusual ingredients he adds for acidity to scallop nigiri 20:53
Why Itamae doesn't serve meat 21:38
How Miami food fits into his dishes 22:49
Traveling with the “contraband queen” 25:56
How Itamae has become a family affair 26:57
The best chef in the family 27:38
How his father experienced restaurant culture as an immigrant 30:37
The one emotion that drives his creative process 33:27
How the blend of cultures is sometimes received by guests at Itamae 35:03
The next evolution of his food 36:32
Why he’s glad he choose food of a career in music 37:38
His rules for making ceviche 40:58
Where to eat in Miami 45:14
His guilty pleasure food 45:44
The cookbooks he finds inspiration 46:11
Kitchen pet peeves 46:45
His must-have condiments 47:07

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Links to other episodes with the chefs in Miami

Don't miss out on the chance to hear from these talented chefs and gain insight into the world of culinary techniques. Check out the links below for more conversations with Masako Morishita, Carlo Lamagna, and Fermín Nuñez.

Conversation with pastry chef Antonio Bachour

Interview with chef Brad Kilgore

Conversation with chef Jose Mendin

Links to most downloaded episodes (click on any picture to listen to the episode)

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Because I left Peru so early, every time I go back, it's like rediscovering some part of my heritage.

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This is the way I grew up eating. And this is the way I want you to eat it. I do not care that you think this isn't how you ate it when you were in Tokyo five years ago. I'm not trying to make food from Tokyo. 

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I think that Itamae is very different in the sense that we are a pescatarian restaurant, which most Nikkei restaurants here in the US have not done. Everybody wants to have some sort of meat dish. And it's great, but I don't care much for yakitori in a Nikkei restaurant. 

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I think if a sushi chef left Japan and landed in Peru and had to relearn himself again through Peruvian ingredients, that is kind of how I think of Itamae.

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