Chef Gastón Acurio, on a visit to La Mar Doha, told us about taking his Peruvian food culture to the world.

What inspired you to become a chef and what shaped your culinary philosophy?
I wanted to be a chef since I was five years old. I used to be in the kitchen with my grandmother, observing her cook for the family. While my friends wanted to play football, I wanted to cook. Instead of going to the park or the toy store, I desired to go to a restaurant. My culinary philosophy comes from my Peruvian heritage. I am part of a generation of Peruvian chefs who are wellversed in our traditional cuisine. But it is not widely recognised around the world. So, we planned to make people fall in love with our cuisine. And we started that mission 20 years ago. We never dreamed at that moment that we would be in the Middle East. And that’s what I’ve been doing for the last 20 years, representing my food culture, trying to bring the most authentic flavours.

In your opinion, what makes Peruvian cuisine unique compared to others?
Peruvian cuisine has evolved over the last 500 years. Communities from around the world brought their cultures with them and adapted their recipes with Peruvian ingredients. We were inspired by the pesto from Italy and we’re eating fried rice as a regular Peruvian dish. It’s completely different from other cuisines. So, it’s unique because it’s a process of hundreds of years.

At your restaurant, La Mar Doha by Gastón Acurio, how do you incorporate cultural elements and traditions into your menu?
We build our menu in three parts. In the first part, we create some of the most iconic Peruvian dishes. We create them exactly the way we do in Peru by bringing the ingredients from there. In the second part, we recreate our cuisine with local ingredients. In the third part, we let our chefs create their own dishes suited to the local Qatari tastes but with a Peruvian soul.

What role do you believe chefs and restaurants play in promoting sustainability in the food industry?
Chefs are important messengers of what’s happening on the farms and in the ocean. We play a role in nourishment, education and cultivating our cultural heritage. We promote the exchange of food cultures, showing that food can foster peaceful coexistence among us. We may be working in fancy restaurants, but we’ve learned to be part of the whole chain of the community. It’s about connecting with local production, sustainability and the environment. The future of cuisine is in good hands with the next generation. They are aware and concerned about sustainability. They know that cooking is not just about taste; it’s also about doing good.

What do you think about the fact that social media has helped many chefs become popular faster?
It’s great. When I started 20-30 years ago, it took longer. So, a good chef can be recognised faster nowadays through social media. Now, with information available to everyone, a young chef can open a fine-dining restaurant on a small budget. These young chefs are changing everything because of access to information and social media. It creates awareness not only for chefs but also for the young generation of diners.
When I was a student, my first lesson was roasted chicken. I wanted to find a new recipe for it. I had to wait to go to a library and find a book to find another recipe. Now, a 10-year-old kid interested in cooking can find countless recipes and videos for roast chicken on a phone. A young chef doesn’t need millions of dollars to run a big restaurant. He can do it in a food truck, and people will go there. But along with it comes the stress that it could bring you with the fame that accompanies it. That’s something to be handled because it could be very stressful if you’re young.

What is this one dish at La Mar that everyone should try?
It would be the Cebiche. It is zingy and fresh, with the perfect acidity and a nice kick of chilli. ✤