Chef Juan Jose Durante Vargas

Being a chef is not just about knowing how to cook; it's about being able to convey happiness through every bite. Since as far back as I can remember, I've always watched my grandmother prepare her famous dishes on the Sundays we visited, and observed my father as he passionately cooked on his days off, asking for help stirring the pot while he chopped ingredients. From then on, I knew it was what I wanted for my future. When I enter a kitchen, all my problems automatically disappear, and I simply enjoy everything about the process. I've been doing this for 8 years, transmitting and creating emotions in people with every first bite.

I always say that cooking is the purest act of love that can exist. In a generation where people seek the quickest and easiest option, disregarding the flavor of the end result, someone once told me, "I eat to live, while you live to eat." That phrase stuck with me, and if they're right, eating something delicious feels like it gives me life and new sensations.

My greatest pleasure is seeing people react to my dishes. I enjoy seeing people experience new cultures, sensations and new flavors through what I create. I want you to feel as if you were discovering every corner of Peru in every bite, as most of my dishes are based on Peruvian fusion.