Shamil Velázquez – Puerto Rican Influences in the Lowcountry

Chef Shamil Velazquez

Most chefs find inspiration from their own culinary traditions, and those flavors continue to make a mark throughout their careers. Today’s guest is Chef Shamil Velázquez from Delaney Oyster House. Velázquez grew up learning how to cook with his family from a very young age in Puerto Rico. He was surrounded by the cornucopia of flavors that make up Puerto Rican cuisine, and always had a natural inclination to cook with the ingredients that grew around him. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, he brings his professional training and passion for food to the menu of this seafood-focused Charleston, SC restaurant. You’ll hear about his early cooking influences, his take on farm-to-table trends, and where he finds inspiration to keep his menu fresh and innovative.

What we covered in this episode

The combination of influences that make up Puerto Rican cuisine (2:20)
A surprising comfort food favorite loved throughout Puerto Rico (4:15)
One family recipe that’s represented on the menu at Delaney Oyster House (6:44)
How Shamil’s determination finally got him into culinary school (10:03)
To school, or not to school? (12:44)
What Chef’s look for in a resume (14:40)
Why “farm to table” should transcend the trend (17:18)
Cultivating relationships with local growers (19:24)
The dish that got him the job at Delaney Oyster House (22:02)
Their number one selling dish (24:42)
Where he finds inspiration for new dishes and ideas (26:03)
A lesson in Puerto Rican hot sauces (29:19)
The difference in culinary styles from Napa Valley to the South (31:54)
A Shamil Velázquez-style dish to try at home (33:52)
Your expertly curated food tour of Charleston (37:41)
Series of rapid-fire questions.
Link to the podcast episode on Apple Podcast

Links to other episodes - Culinary Leaders with a Hispanic Heritage

Conversation with Mely Martinez – Blogger and Author of “The Mexican Home Kitchen” cookbook

Conversation with Chef Jose Garces from Philadelphia

Discussion with Chef Andre Natera from the Fairmont Hotel in Austin, TX

Conversation with Chef Jonathan Zaragoza from Chicago

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Puerto Rico has a very food-centered culture. It’s just there at every birthday party, quinceanera, and holiday. Everything is food. It’s always about the food.

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For career day, I always dressed up as a chef. I guess I’ve never really given much thought to doing any other career.

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I actually started applying to the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) when I was in ninth grade.

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Do I agree with going to culinary school? Yes, I think it’s a great idea. I think it definitely is a good base and a good foundation.

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As a chef, it is our due diligence to make sure that we are working with local farmers, local fishmongers, oyster farmers, and do our part in society rather than leaving the carbon footprint of getting stuff from the other side of the world, when it’s right here.

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I think that’s always very important as a chef to open up and learn from others rather than saying, “My food. My way, or the highway”. No way, it’s always easier for you to understand other people and understand where they come from so that we can do something really cool together.

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