I grew up in the Netherlands with a Peruvian mother and a Dutch father who taught me the values and standards from both countries. As my parents lived in various countries, we were lucky to have been brought up with a diversity of food cultures: the Italian, the Mexican, the Venezuelan… However, my heart and roots always stayed with the Peruvian cuisine. The rich cultural and gastronomic heritage of Peru played a significant role in the education of my brothers and me. As I learned later, what was very common to us, was very exotic to my Dutch family and friends. When we were children, you did not hear a lot about Peru in The Netherlands. The only news was about the political situation. Yet Peru was and still is so much more.
Learning about traditional Peruvian dishes
I was always very fascinated when my mother prepared traditional Peruvian dishes. So I watched and learned. My fascination actually started as a little girl while sitting on the kitchen counter, watching my mother cook and the vibrant energy of my family around the dinner table. On Saturdays, my abuelos (grandparents) would set off for the beach at the crack of dawn to select the best catch from the fishermen. A fine ceviche was made for the family to share in the afternoon. How to proceed exactly and which ingredients were best used caused loud discussions. Loud and lively, yet lovingly. My Peruvian family is a mix of mainly Italian immigrants and indigenous people. Like many Peruvians, we are ‘fusion’ and a true representation of the popular fusion kitchens in Peru today.
My mission: “I want to share our wonderful Peruvian cuisine in an accessible way with everyone”
In 2008, I travelled through Peru for a while. It was a big adventure, and I experienced many new things. The love for my mother’s country grew day by day. The following nine years, I travelled back to Peru several times to fuel this feeling. 2017 was the turning point. I started ‘cevicheceviche’ with the aim to promote the Peruvian cuisine by giving workshops, developing recipes and providing culinary consultation. It has been a wonderful journey so far!
I live with my partner in the Jordaan, Amsterdam. Here, I am very happy to be living my cevicheceviche dream.
Food Education
Foodjournalism (Fontys Hogeschool Journalistiek/Ellen Eten), Pisco specialist (PROMPERÚ Benelux and Scandinavia), Principles of Gastronomy (Le Cordon Bleu), Culinary History (University of Amsterdam, Illustere School).
