Hi! I’m Luis Alberto Rojas Macavilca from Lima, Peru bringing the Latin American cuisine to the world. I started in cevicherías and currently serving my guest in the world’s tallest 5 star hotel J.W Marriott Marquis Dubai.
“I consider myself a responsible person, with initiative and punctuality, I accept with pleasure the challenges and goals that your organization could raise me; with good handling of interpersonal relationships, ease of working in a team, under high pressure conditions, as well as to solve problems efficiently and achieve the goals set by the company and my work group ”
Peruvian chef Luis Rojas is as versatile as his kitchen, as well as being among pots and stoves creating new flavors, he is also a lover of travel and discover new cultures.
All these faces are reflected in his kitchen: creativity and design are evident in his place, while passion becomes a fundamental ingredient in the restaurant he directs, since he is the one who creates the mixtures according to the meals and their times.
Luis Rojas has an unstoppable energy, which now he has in several projects focused on gastronomy, what he does with art, science, professionalism, but above all, with a lot of passion.
I make contemporary Peruvian cuisine, what I call a comfortable gourmet. I love all aspects of modern cuisine and, of course, fine dining, but I do not lose the compass of what is essential: cooking to feed and make happy those who visit me. In that sense, my kitchen is based on flavor.
– How do you evaluate the moment for which gastronomy is happening, both in Peru and in Latin America?
– It’s a historical moment. Globalization has accelerated the entry of our flavor into other markets. It is amazing how fast this opening has occurred in the last 15 years, until we put ourselves at the forefront of the world.
– Peru is one of the great exponents of rescuing and rediscovering typical products. Which do you consider to have been the most emblematic?
– Peru is a biodiversity pantry. In fact, we have almost 90% of the world’s micro climates. That’s why almost everything can be produced here. We have a great variety of marine species, fruits and vegetables, even to be discovered. For example, our peppers give a particular aroma and flavor to ceviches and stews. The king is undoubtedly the yellow pepper for the stews and the chili pepper for the ceviche. We have endemic products, such as sachatomate, one of the vegetables with the highest concentration of umami in the world; the sacred grain of the Incas; the quinoa, which is a super food that is now consumed in almost the entire planet and what to say of the potato, pillar of classic dishes of world cuisine.
– Within the current Peruvian context, where is your kitchen positioned?
– I make contemporary Peruvian cuisine, what I call a comfortable gourmet. I love all aspects of modern cuisine and, of course, fine dining, but I do not lose the compass of what is essential: cooking to feed and make happy those who visit me. In that sense, my kitchen is based on flavor.
– Even if you do not like the term, the chefs have become a kind of rock star. How do you perceive this new moment that the chefs are going through? Can it be a double-edged sword?
– Of course. I’m terrified that the kids want to study cooking for nothing more than a few minutes of fame. This profession is very sacrificial, but it has the most wonderful reward, that of making someone happy by taking them to live an experience. To study it, you must love what you do and be full of vocation for service. I enjoy it to the fullest and that’s why I do not feel like I’m working. I have always made my activities something that I love and that makes me happy. Now, you should never lose humility. I take all this with much thought, because nothing was given to me, I worked hard since I was 15 years old, I paid for my studies and I supported my family. What it costs you and you do with love makes you grow on solid foundations. I continue and continue to be the same type of neighborhood, simple, humble and deeply committed to my people and my country.
– How do you conceive that people have increasingly been approaching the kitchen, both as a more informed consumer and wanting to experience new things like an amateur chef at home?
– It amazes me to see that people dare more and let themselves be enveloped by this passion that caught me for cooking since I was very young. The kitchen, I have always said in my television programs, is an act of love. With Samsung’s proposal we are getting closer to people, so they know that it is not difficult and that it is wonderful to enjoy cooking. We all have an interior chef, we just need to take the first step and discover it.
I’m terrified that the kids want to study cooking for nothing more than a few minutes of fame. This profession is very sacrificial, but it has the most wonderful reward, that of making someone happy by taking them to live an experience.