Chef De Cuisine Esteban Guevara, of Hunters Room & Grill at The Westin Doha Hotel & Spa, talks inspiration, legacy and raw meat.

Do you remember the first time you prepared something in the kitchen and knew that this was your calling?
If you take me back in time, when I was a kid, Sundays were very special days… I remember going with my father to a beach called Pimentel in my hometown Chiclayo, northern Peru, to buy fresh fish from the fishermen. They used to go out early in the morning and come back to the coast with the freshest fish you can ever see, such as Tollo, which is a kind of a baby shark, Lenguado or Dover Sole and Bonito, which is a small white tuna.
Once back home, my father used to prepare ceviche, Chicharrones, which is a crispy breaded fish, or Sudados, a fish stew, and I have to say, the last dish was my favourite of all time. Ever since, cooking has always been more than a way to feed the family, it was a whole experience. From the moment we bought the fish, to cooking it and learning from my father all the techniques. The funny thing is that usually we learn cooking from our mothers or grandmothers, however, in my case, it was completely different, I will always say the reason I decided to become a chef was my father and his passion towards food… I owe it all to him!

Latin American food is appreciated internationally. Can you explain why you think that is? And does the creativity of chefs in Latin America challenge and stimulate other chefs around the world?
In my opinion, our foods, Peruvian specifically and LatinAmerican generally, have become popular and recognised around the world due to great chefs who, throughout the years, have showcased and highlighted our cuisine, they have spread our culture and flavours around the world. Nowadays, it is our mission to keep their legacy alive and take it to another level. I mean, in every country that we will go to, we should try to combine the local ingredients or techniques along with our roots, our flavours and memories. Our mission will be to create experiences and beautiful memories for our guests. We will entice other chefs and inspire them – no matter what nationality they come from – to create the same culture, but their way.

Can you share with us your signature dish or style and what makes it special to you?
Being the Chef de Cuisine of Hunters Room & Grill, one of the most renowned steakhouses in Doha, I would say that one of my favourite dishes, apart from the fatty and tender Rib Eye, would be the beef tartar also known was beef carpaccio.
But why this dish? Simply because it is a raw meat dish and it always allows me to experience the real meat flavour. It is a special dish that we serve at Hunters and very special to me because it combines traditional techniques along with some Latino flavours, so we present to our guests a one-of-a-kind experience.

What’s the most important ingredient and best technique to grill for the juiciest and most tasteful experience?
I would say, apart from the quality of the meat, it will be real and proper seasoning of any steak before we grill it. The best seasonings are sea salt flakes and spices, in our case our signature Hunters Spices. Also, it is very important to keep the meat at a room temperate in order to get a nice crust full of flavours. Once grilled, my recommendation would be to give the meat time to rest to keep all its juices before you start eating it. Bon appetite! ✤