Latest / New Worlder / Episode #108: Carolina Colque & Sergio Armella

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Episode #108: Carolina Colque & Sergio Armella · New Worlder

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_03: This is the New Order Podcast and I am one of your hosts, Nicholas Gill.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_03: Co-host Juliana Duque will be joining shortly.
• 0:08
  SPEAKER_03: Today we are speaking with Carolina Coque and Sergio Armea.
• 0:13
  They are the owners of Ifedra restaurant outside of San Pedro
• 0:19
  de Atacama,
• 0:20
  Chile.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_03: Let me be clear when I say that this is a very unlikely restaurant.
• 0:26
  Two young local Atacameños with no cooking experience have
• 0:31
  opened a tasting menu
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_03: restaurant in the Atacama Desert,
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_03: the driest place on earth.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_03: It's not even in the main town,
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_03: San Pedro de Atacama,
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_03: but in Ayu,
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_03: a traditional community a dozen kilometers away.
• 0:46
  I urge you to just go to their Instagram page right now and
• 0:50
  look at the food they
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_03: are making and the ingredients they are working with.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_03: It will blow your mind.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_03: The Atacama Desert in the far north of Chile is a special place.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_03: I've been there a few times over the years.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_03: The scenery is unreal,
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_03: almost lunar at times,
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_03: but it is the flavors there that have always excited me.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_03: In a place with little rain,
• 1:12
  most of the plants grow slowly into large shrubs with brittle
• 1:15
  branches that develop
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_03: one-of-a-kind flavors.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_03: There are also fruit trees,
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_03: leguminous pods,
• 1:21
  and fragrant flowers that only come out when there is a hint of
• 1:25
  moisture in the air.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_03: This is the kind of landscape Carolina and Sergio are working with.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_03: Before starting the restaurant,
• 1:32
  Sergio's cooking experience consisted of a Neapolitan pizza
• 1:37
  business they tried out
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_03: during the pandemic,
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_03: and then he immediately staged at Geranium,
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_03: the three Michelin star restaurant in Copenhagen,
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_03: which is extremely technical.
• 1:47
  SPEAKER_03: He was there for a few months,
• 1:49
  and what makes Ephedra special is their will to create a
• 1:53
  distinct experience in the
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_03: place they are from.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_03: These unique ecosystems,
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_03: not to mention the cultures that support them,
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_03: are what make Latin American food special.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_03: If you haven't subscribed to my newsletter,
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_03: just go to newworlder.com or search for New Worlder on Substack.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_03: It's free to subscribe,
• 2:11
  though paid subscribers get access to all of the content and
• 2:14
  the back archives.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_03: Again, that's newworlder.com.
• 2:17
  Also,
• 2:18
  look for my books,
• 2:19
  such as the Latin American Cookbook,
• 2:21
  at small bookstores everywhere.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_03: Also, check out the New Worlder YouTube channel,
• 2:26
  We have full episodes there,
• 2:28
  as well as some clips and other video content.
• 2:31
  Just go to youtube.com slash newworlder and please subscribe,
• 2:34
  like us and share us.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_03: Every little bit helps this podcast get listened to.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_03: Enjoy the show.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_03: Hi, Carolina.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_03: Hi, Sergio.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_03: Are you guys at the restaurant now?
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, we are.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_02: We choose the restaurant because the Wi-Fi is better than in town.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_03: So the restaurant is not in town, right?
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_03: It's outside of San Pedro.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 3:45
  SPEAKER_02: Have you been here in San Pedro?
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_03: I've been to San Pedro, yeah, a few times.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_03: But not for a few years, like definitely not since you opened.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_03: But yeah,
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_03: I know it a little bit,
• 3:55
  but pretty much there's the whole town of San Pedro and then
• 3:58
  there's smaller
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_03: villages that kind of radiate outside of the center.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_03: Is that where you are?
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, we are in Aiyu.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_02: Aiyu is like a community.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_02: Maybe Carolina can explain better.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_01: Well, it's around 15 minutes far to the downtown San Pedro Atacama.
• 4:18
  Yes,
• 4:19
  it's in one little Aiyu,
• 4:21
  close to or maybe on the way to the Sejar Lagoon.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_01: The Aiyus means communities.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_01: When a long time ago, the peoples were together, left Stockholm Farming.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_01: This was the principal part of the economy maybe some 20 years ago.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_01: But today, the people principally work in tourism.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_01: I think maybe the 80%, but it's some restaurant and some hotel.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, all in this way.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_03: Is there still like an active component of the...
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_03: of the ayu, like the traditional collaborative culture.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_01: The Atacameños or Lican and Thai.
• 5:03
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_01: And it's 15 different ayus in San Pedro.
• 5:08
  Yes,
• 5:08
  some ones more in the north part,
• 5:10
  other in the central part on the downtown.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_01: And the last one,
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_01: like Poconche,
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_01: yes,
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_01: is in the south part,
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_01: more close to the Atacama Salt Flats.
• 5:19
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_01: In the way to the Atacama Salt Flats, yeah.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, so how many people live in the IU where the restaurant is?
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, here is around to 10 families.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_01: It's not too much.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, maybe less to 40, 40 peoples.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, it's a small one.
• 5:35
  Yes,
• 5:36
  exist some ones that have 200 peoples,
• 5:39
  or there may be 100,
• 5:40
  and this is the smaller one.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_03: Do the people of the community also work in the restaurant?
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_01: Uh,
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_01: no,
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_02: not directly,
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_02: uh,
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_02: just in the,
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_02: they do in the,
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_02: in the,
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_02: like supply chain,
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_02: like,
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_02: uh,
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_03: yeah.
• 6:02
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_03: What kind of products do they grow?
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, by ourselves?
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_03: No, no.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_03: Like, uh, I mean, are they, is it, are they farmers?
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_03: Are they, do they work in agriculture?
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_03: Do they work in another way?
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_02: where it's up of the season.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_02: And now,
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_02: for example,
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_02: we have some corn,
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_02: we have some broad beans,
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_02: we are starting native potato season,
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_02: this deep purple potato,
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_02: very small.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_02: And well, it's a very small production.
• 6:41
  We also have some pumpkin all the year because it's very easy
• 6:46
  to preserve it.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_02: if you don't open it.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_02: It's a very small production, so we have to use what we have around us.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_01: And exist different maybe ecological floor in different parts in Domeco,
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_01: Manta Rain,
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_01: Andes,
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_01: and in the Atacama area.
• 7:12
  SPEAKER_01: By this, we try to find different product.
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, around the year, but in different elevations too.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_01: because in San Pedro,
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_01: Atacama,
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_01: it's lower,
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_01: and here sometimes we have the problem with the water,
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_01: but there's some IUs have more production,
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_01: for example,
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_01: in the North part,
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_01: it's better than here.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_01: Here maybe the people have corns,
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_01: yes,
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_01: but in the North part have more pumpkin,
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_01: for example,
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_01: or alfalfa grass.
• 7:39
  In some areas,
• 7:39
  it's possible to have some little garden or a greenhouse in
• 7:44
  other places.
• 7:46
  when the peoples produce more carrots and beetroot or something
• 7:50
  like that.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_03: And it's kind of always been like that, right?
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_03: Like the history of Atacama is very much trading with other IUs,
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_03: other communities,
• 8:02
  because the altitude is such a distinctive factor that you can
• 8:06
  only grow certain
• 8:06
  SPEAKER_03: things in some and not in the other.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_03: So there's always been a giant, an important trade component.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_03: Is that correct?
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, it is.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_03: All right, cool.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, like I love the outic comments.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_03: It's such like a beautiful place.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_03: I haven't been since before the pandemic,
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_03: but I've been a couple of times,
• 8:26
  SPEAKER_03: like two or three times,
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_03: maybe two.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_03: And yeah, it's really amazing.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_03: And the ingredients there are just so special.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_03: To me, it's like some of the most...
• 8:44
  original of any place in the entire world just because you know
• 8:50
  the environment is
• 8:51
  so different from anywhere else in the entire world it's so
• 8:54
  unique and you know
• 8:55
  most people think of the desert or they think of this
• 8:57
  lifelessness but like even at
• 9:00
  the altitude of the atacame it's just there's so much life and
• 9:03
  all these like
• 9:04
  special flavors yes a lot of people think that because we are
• 9:08
  in the desert we
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_02: don't produce anything or
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_02: It's not a productive area,
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_02: but we have a lot of things,
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_02: not in San Pedro itself,
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_02: but if you go to the different towns that surround San Pedro,
• 9:24
  you can find very amazing products and things that you never
• 9:33
  think that could exist.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_02: So that is the magic of this place for me.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_00: How would you describe the place or the...
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_00: food in a few words?
• 9:45
  I think it's a very surprising place where you can find things
• 9:49
  that you never
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_02: imagined that could exist.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_02: For example, when I was in culinary school and we started to go around
• 10:04
  SPEAKER_02: different places with cattle.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_02: I found out something called Motokuro, for example.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_02: It's a kind of root, tastes like coconut and between coconut and almond.
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_02: It's very surprising,
• 10:17
  but a lot of people even here doesn't know about that and
• 10:22
  doesn't use it anymore.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_02: We are now trying to use it in desserts or because it's very small
• 10:30
  We tried to make an ice cream,
• 10:31
  but you need a very big quantity to make a big portion.
• 10:38
  So now we are trying to make something like an emulsion or
• 10:42
  maybe raw because you
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_02: also can eat raw,
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_02: like on top of something.
• 10:46
  But we are just trying to find a way to use it in a good way
• 10:55
  because also it's very
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_02: hard to pick because you have to
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_02: You have to dig, yeah.
• 11:09
  SPEAKER_02: Yes,
• 11:09
  and you have to be careful because if you lost the root and the
• 11:15
  flower that is over
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_02: the ground,
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_02: it's very hard to pick.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_02: It takes more time.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_01: And it's not easy to find them because just when rain or in some season,
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_01: it's possible to find and it's very small.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_01: And the water every year is not enough by this.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_01: Sometimes the little potato is smaller.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_01: Or some years you don't find anything.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 11:43
  SPEAKER_03: The climate is so different from anywhere.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_03: Are there really seasons at all?
• 11:50
  Or is it more just like a relationship to water and knowing
• 11:55
  when there's...
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, there's not really rain, right?
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_01: There's never rain.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_01: Well, we have the season, I think, that is possible to know a little.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe it's in different months or move a little, yes.
• 12:10
  SPEAKER_01: But rain, for example, in summertime.
• 12:12
  SPEAKER_01: Is there summer rains?
• 12:14
  SPEAKER_01: This is weird because in Chile, rain normally in winter, June, July.
• 12:18
  But here in summer,
• 12:19
  January and February,
• 12:21
  it's possible to find some water.
• 12:23
  And it's thanks to the cloud that come from to the Amazon or
• 12:26
  the Atlantic oceans
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_01: behind to the Andes mountain range.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_01: The Pacific one,
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_01: the Pacific Ocean,
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_01: normally now is so clear,
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_01: it's so,
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_01: it's no rain actually,
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_01: so sunny there.
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_01: But for the other part, we receive some rain.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_01: For example,
• 12:44
  SPEAKER_01: last year to rain some just three days,
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_01: but this year to rain for maybe two weeks,
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_01: approximately.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_01: And this was enough to find some kind of motocuro,
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_01: some kind of suico,
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_01: and it's snow in the top of the mountains.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_01: And this is important because when rain about to the mountains,
• 13:05
  the waters form underground river and all this water come down
• 13:09
  and refill the
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_01: aquifers here in San Pedro,
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_01: Atacama.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_01: And this makes the difference.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_01: But depending on the years,
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_01: But normally we spend the rain in summertime and no in winter.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_01: In winter, sometimes it's just cold and that's it.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_01: make the difference.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_01: And by this,
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_01: we know when it starts the autumn,
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_01: for example,
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_01: or when it starts the winter time,
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_01: just for the temperature,
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_01: yes,
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_01: but maybe in the environment,
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_01: it's not too much.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_01: But in spring, we will see the trees like algarrobos or chanyard that
• 13:47
  SPEAKER_01: coming to change the lift immediately.
• 13:50
  SPEAKER_01: It's terrible.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_01: And change the landscape green immediately.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_01: And this is completely different to autumn or winter time.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 14:01
  And I don't know if you've been here in San Pedro in winter or summertime.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_03: I think I was there once in the winter.
• 14:11
  SPEAKER_03: I know.
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_03: I know once that was like July.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_03: And it was definitely, yeah.
• 14:20
  And then the other time was,
• 14:21
  I want to say like April or May or something.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah,
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_01: because in winter time,
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_01: it's very crazy,
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_01: but we have more water around to the lagoons,
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_01: for example,
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_01: because when rain in summer,
• 14:36
  the water needs three months and go down and refill the aquifer
• 14:39
  and refill some lagoons.
• 14:41
  SPEAKER_01: But this is possible to find more water in Sejar Lagoon or Teben Quinche.
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 14:46
  SPEAKER_01: And in summertime or around to November,
• 14:49
  SPEAKER_01: December,
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_01: this salt flat or legumes coming to dry immediately.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_01: Rain, you know, but it's not enough to refill some legumes.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_01: But in winter, it's possible to see this difference.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_01: And normally the people to know when come in this season.
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_01: Because the landscape change immediately.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_03: The landscape, but also the the ingredients too, like like the bounty of
• 15:14
  of the desert,
• 15:15
  like,
• 15:15
  totally changes with,
• 15:17
  you know,
• 15:18
  like a tiny bit of rain,
• 15:19
  even.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_03: I'm sure just three days of rain, like, it's amazing what it can do.
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yes.
• 15:24
  But I think the most important part are the rivers that to
• 15:30
  irrigate the agriculture
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_01: or the terrace that the peoples to have in Andes,
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_01: because I come from a little village,
• 15:39
  SPEAKER_01: Rio Grande.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know if you've been there close to the Rainbow Valley.
• 15:43
  and they're the peoples i know um the i think the 80 of the
• 15:49
  peoples that live in
• 15:50
  there uh work in um directly in the agriculture and produce for
• 15:57
  example quinoa
• 15:58
  different kind of potatoes uh we produce fava beans some onions
• 16:03
  yeah this is the
• 16:04
  most typical one and we have the water every day because go
• 16:09
  down some river
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_01: and we can irrigate if you want every week.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_01: But here in San Pedro,
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_01: it's a little more complicated because we receive the same river,
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_01: but our different communities or IEUs,
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_01: like this,
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_01: the water need to move like veins in different directions.
• 16:27
  Yes,
• 16:27
  and every 15 or 20 days,
• 16:30
  the farmer,
• 16:31
  yeah,
• 16:31
  have some water for the irrigation.
• 16:33
  and it's sometime two hours and this is not enough for the land
• 16:37
  that they do have
• 16:38
  yeah by this we need to thinking what kind of uh vegetables we
• 16:44
  want to produce yes
• 16:46
  and this is a little more complicated here in san pedro more
• 16:50
  when no rain every
• 16:51
  time but this is so special and hard to have some ingredient
• 16:57
  yeah so first of all
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_02: how far is san pedro from where you are it's like um
• 17:05
  by car it's like 15 minutes in kilometers it's like yes i think
• 17:11
  maybe less to 13 kilometers
• 17:15
  What was the decision to open the restaurant in the IU as
• 17:20
  opposed to in San Pedro?
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_02: Because,
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_02: well,
• 17:25
  we want to make a different proposal and we didn't get a place
• 17:30
  in downtown or in
• 17:33
  the Central Park because we wanted to make something different
• 17:37
  and we wanted to
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_02: create something like a filter.
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_02: If the people really want to try something different,
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_02: they have to come here, they have to come by car, take those 15 minutes.
• 17:51
  SPEAKER_02: And because if we...
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_02: if we have decided to open this in the downtown,
• 18:06
  maybe we could receive a lot of people that doesn't read about
• 18:14
  the restaurant or
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_02: what we offer.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_02: And they could think that we are offering something different.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 18:24
  You just don't want to be another restaurant that somebody is
• 18:27
  walking by and just like,
• 18:28
  SPEAKER_03: are you open tonight?
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_03: And comes in, but you want them to.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_03: To understand what they're getting into.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 18:35
  Because we have some guests that have a game and they thought
• 18:43
  that we sell
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_02: something like beef or more regular meat,
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_02: chicken.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, yeah.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_03: Right, right.
• 18:54
  Just the standard tourist restaurants that,
• 18:57
  you know,
• 18:58
  chicken,
• 18:58
  beef and fish or whatever.
• 19:00
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 19:01
  And I think that the other reason was the view,
• 19:04
  the landscape that we have outside.
• 19:06
  It's because it's open and we have the Andes immediately in
• 19:10
  front and one of the most maybe
• 19:15
  The famous volcano is the Likancabor and Lascar,
• 19:19
  and here it's possible to see immediately.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_01: And the other things are the IEUs.
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_01: We don't have too much,
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_01: maybe,
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_01: homes or cars or movement outside,
• 19:30
  SPEAKER_01: and this sometimes is very interesting for the people.
• 19:33
  SPEAKER_01: Actually, the peoples want to arrive in the afternoon,
• 19:37
  arrived some couple of minutes before to the sunset and it's
• 19:40
  beautiful landscape
• 19:42
  and taking some picture outside and then to come and this was
• 19:46
  the other reason I
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_01: think why we decided to open this restaurant here.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_00: How easy do you think it is for people to get where they are?
• 20:01
  SPEAKER_00: I mean it's not
• 20:03
  so they are trying flavors they are seeing all these colors and
• 20:07
  shapes things that
• 20:08
  are new for them but which strategies do you use for people to
• 20:15
  be connected with
• 20:16
  these land landscapes and you know like unexpected things that
• 20:22
  are not explainable
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_00: in you know like a meal
• 20:28
  SPEAKER_00: So what do you think you do to get that, I don't know, message across?
• 20:36
  Because I always wonder how much people retain after a meal in
• 20:42
  which new flavors are presented.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_00: Or if they just leave like, oh, yeah, strange.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_00: I never tried that.
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_00: Like, interesting.
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_00: But, you know, what else?
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_00: So I wonder, what is your sense of that?
• 21:00
  I think for some people is a very interesting proposal because
• 21:06
  most of our guests
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_02: are from abroad or foreigners.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_02: We don't have too much people from here.
• 21:14
  SPEAKER_02: We also have Chileans but not from San Pedro.
• 21:18
  SPEAKER_02: In a general way we have received a very good
• 21:22
  reviewed or a very good critic by the guest some people is of
• 21:28
  course uh closed to
• 21:32
  try something new for example we offer llama meat and they say
• 21:36
  oh llama and they
• 21:38
  tried they uh they don't need the the ditch even it's a just a
• 21:42
  small bite they
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_02: leave the whole bite but
• 21:48
  But there are some other people that really like the experience
• 21:55
  because it's
• 21:56
  SPEAKER_02: something different.
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_02: Because if you go to another restaurant here,
• 22:01
  SPEAKER_02: it's very hard to try llama,
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_02: to try rabbit from here,
• 22:08
  SPEAKER_02: because all the proteins,
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_02: for example,
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_02: that we use,
• 22:13
  come from here from San Pedro or the surrounding from the range
• 22:18
  we use just trout
• 22:19
  we don't use seafood we try to don't use a produce from other
• 22:24
  parts of the that or
• 22:26
  from very far away because our focus is to show the the
• 22:31
  territory in the in the
• 22:34
  SPEAKER_02: very honest way and
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_02: What can I say?
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_02: There are people and people.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_02: There is people and people.
• 22:45
  Some people accept it and some people say,
• 22:48
  oh,
• 22:48
  yes,
• 22:49
  I saw this was something different.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_02: I saw this was you offered a beef or it was like more,
• 22:56
  SPEAKER_02: I don't know,
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_02: maybe typical fine dining with caviar,
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_02: foie gras,
• 23:03
  SPEAKER_02: a lot of seafood.
• 23:06
  that stuff but we don't offer that that produce so of course
• 23:12
  you shouldn't like you
• 23:13
  know it's it's something different and it's and I think it's
• 23:17
  hard to be the first
• 23:18
  person sometimes in a region to kind of change the atmosphere I
• 23:24
  know that like some
• 23:25
  other restaurants have come and gone and San Pedro and things
• 23:28
  that have like hotel
• 23:29
  restaurants that have tried to kind of use some local things
• 23:32
  but never you know to
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_03: the extent that you guys are doing it
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_03: I was really excited when I heard about Ephedra last year.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_03: And,
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_03: you know,
• 23:41
  I've always thought fine dining in Latin America will kind of
• 23:45
  reach its real
• 23:46
  potential when when restaurants cooking at a high level start
• 23:51
  opening outside of
• 23:52
  SPEAKER_03: the major cities and like directly in the regions.
• 23:55
  Because,
• 23:56
  I mean,
• 23:56
  there is just a greater connection to ingredients and cultures.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_03: And why was it important to you?
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_03: Because, I mean, you guys worked at high level restaurants.
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_03: in Europe and things.
• 24:07
  You could have come back to Santiago and opened a restaurant,
• 24:11
  I'm sure,
• 24:11
  in some way or another.
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_03: Why was it important to you to do it in San Pedro?
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, because...
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_02: I have a connection here.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_02: I was born here.
• 24:23
  SPEAKER_02: I grew up here.
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_02: I went to the school here, to the high school.
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_02: So it was natural to come back and make something with local things.
• 24:35
  SPEAKER_02: It was, I think, the... Yes.
• 24:40
  SPEAKER_02: So it's the natural way that...
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_02: happened.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah,
• 24:46
  but I think it's amazing that you felt that way because I think
• 24:50
  10 years ago a cook
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_03: that went to Europe didn't feel that way.
• 24:57
  Anyone that had the chance to go train abroad or get experience
• 25:01
  in a high-level
• 25:02
  SPEAKER_03: kitchen somewhere,
• 25:03
  SPEAKER_03: they wouldn't want to go back to the place they're from.
• 25:06
  They wouldn't say,
• 25:07
  okay,
• 25:08
  now we have to do it in Santiago or Lima or Bogota.
• 25:13
  SPEAKER_03: But
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_03: But it's great.
• 25:16
  It means something's working in the world to where there's
• 25:20
  opportunity and there's
• 25:24
  SPEAKER_03: a chance to do something creative outside of a major metropolis.
• 25:29
  SPEAKER_03: You do have a lot of tourists in the region.
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_03: I think that's probably the only way you could have done it.
• 25:36
  You can't rely on local populations to go for fine dining,
• 25:41
  especially in such a small town.
• 25:44
  SPEAKER_03: How many people live in San Pedro?
• 25:47
  SPEAKER_01: 20,000, approximately.
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_01: 20,000.
• 25:51
  SPEAKER_03: And it's not like there's 100,000 tourists at a day.
• 25:56
  It's like a select number of hotels,
• 26:02
  some backpackers and luxury travelers.
• 26:06
  SPEAKER_03: So yeah, it's a very unique atmosphere.
• 26:09
  SPEAKER_00: But in a way, it's true that
• 26:11
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah,
• 26:12
  SPEAKER_00: they could have gone to a major city,
• 26:14
  but I guess the message they were receiving from the places
• 26:18
  where they work,
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_00: right,
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_00: was we work with local things and we try to use whatever.
• 26:25
  So it's just that maybe the owners of the restaurants and the
• 26:28
  chefs they were
• 26:28
  SPEAKER_00: working with were from those cities,
• 26:31
  SPEAKER_00: but in a way,
• 26:33
  SPEAKER_00: that's what they are doing,
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_00: right?
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_00: Like, what is my motherland?
• 26:36
  SPEAKER_00: Where is my motherland?
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_00: And for you guys,
• 26:39
  SPEAKER_00: it's that place,
• 26:41
  but there is an extra challenge in terms of the audience and
• 26:45
  then how to make the
• 26:47
  SPEAKER_00: food chain work,
• 26:48
  SPEAKER_00: right?
• 26:50
  SPEAKER_00: Which is what it's like, I think the added value here too.
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_00: But so in terms of getting that message across again,
• 27:00
  SPEAKER_00: do you explain to the customers these,
• 27:05
  SPEAKER_00: like,
• 27:05
  SPEAKER_00: do you,
• 27:06
  Because I know some owners try to find a balance in between
• 27:12
  communicating the
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_00: context of the food and,
• 27:16
  SPEAKER_00: you know,
• 27:16
  SPEAKER_00: the history of the dishes.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_00: But at the same time, they don't want to bother clients, right?
• 27:21
  SPEAKER_00: Like with a full explanation.
• 27:25
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, yeah, yeah.
• 27:26
  SPEAKER_00: How do you go about that?
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_00: Like how much do you tell or not?
• 27:33
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, every dish has a storytelling behind when it gets to the table.
• 27:40
  SPEAKER_02: We also explain where the produce come from.
• 27:43
  SPEAKER_02: Actually, we work even with cheese that my grandma makes.
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_02: So sometimes I tell it to the guests.
• 27:55
  SPEAKER_02: And we also try to give an explanation about what they are eating.
• 28:00
  If we see if a client is not too interested in that,
• 28:05
  we give very short explanation.
• 28:08
  SPEAKER_02: But if some guests are very interested and they're in that situation,
• 28:15
  SPEAKER_02: we give,
• 28:17
  SPEAKER_02: yes,
• 28:17
  SPEAKER_02: we very- Like Mike.
• 28:19
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, very good.
• 28:24
  very good uh we try to talk more about or to answer all the
• 28:29
  questions that they
• 28:29
  have it's a conversation that can be shorter or longer even
• 28:33
  that the dish is
• 28:35
  getting colder and you know like all the ingredients there and
• 28:45
  it's like i've been
• 28:45
  there several times and i've you know like written about the
• 28:48
  atacama and kind of
• 28:49
  SPEAKER_03: went around with people and
• 28:53
  But,
• 28:53
  like,
• 28:54
  every single ingredient,
• 28:55
  almost,
• 28:57
  is something very unique and different.
• 28:59
  SPEAKER_03: I mean,
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_03: of course,
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_03: you have potatoes,
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_03: but,
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_03: you know,
• 29:02
  SPEAKER_03: they are a very special blue potato from,
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_03: you know,
• 29:06
  SPEAKER_03: certain villages.
• 29:06
  And,
• 29:08
  you know,
• 29:08
  have llama meat,
• 29:09
  which,
• 29:09
  you know,
• 29:09
  okay,
• 29:10
  people know what a llama is.
• 29:12
  But then all the herbs,
• 29:15
  all the spices,
• 29:16
  all the plants,
• 29:17
  like,
• 29:18
  things like chanyar.
• 29:20
  SPEAKER_03: You know,
• 29:20
  and I want to talk about Chanyar because I know you do
• 29:23
  something very interesting
• 29:24
  SPEAKER_03: with it.
• 29:26
  SPEAKER_03: But it's like even people in Santiago or even people in,
• 29:31
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know,
• 29:31
  like on the coast directly across from you don't know half of
• 29:35
  the time what,
• 29:37
  SPEAKER_03: you know,
• 29:37
  SPEAKER_03: Chanyar or Pingo Pingo or Suico are.
• 29:41
  SPEAKER_03: You know, it's very specific.
• 29:44
  you know,
• 29:44
  it might as well be Mongolia or something to them,
• 29:48
  you know,
• 29:48
  even Chileans.
• 29:49
  SPEAKER_03: So,
• 29:50
  SPEAKER_03: I mean,
• 29:50
  there is the challenge of just introducing them to all of these
• 29:56
  things and,
• 29:58
  SPEAKER_03: and,
• 29:59
  SPEAKER_03: and,
• 29:59
  SPEAKER_03: you know,
• 29:59
  SPEAKER_03: and without,
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_03: you know,
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_03: giving them a book,
• 30:04
  SPEAKER_03: you know,
• 30:04
  SPEAKER_03: reading them a book of,
• 30:07
  SPEAKER_03: of information every time you present a plate,
• 30:10
  SPEAKER_03: you know,
• 30:11
  SPEAKER_03: like at some point,
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_03: yeah,
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_03: they just have to,
• 30:14
  SPEAKER_03: to taste it and, you know, figure it out.
• 30:21
  SPEAKER_03: But you were saying your grandmother makes cheese.
• 30:24
  SPEAKER_03: What kind of cheese does she make?
• 30:26
  SPEAKER_02: Gold cheese.
• 30:27
  SPEAKER_02: But it's a very, it's like fresh gold cheese.
• 30:33
  But she doesn't use a standardized process,
• 30:38
  you know,
• 30:39
  even more pasteurized milk.
• 30:42
  SPEAKER_02: Sometimes it is salt, have more salt or less salt, you know?
• 30:47
  SPEAKER_02: But that is the magic of the produce.
• 30:51
  That reflects that we are,
• 30:53
  we use what we have and that is our problem,
• 30:58
  you know?
• 30:58
  SPEAKER_02: It's something that we need to resolve.
• 31:02
  That is something cool of this restaurant because we have to sometimes,
• 31:10
  how can I say?
• 31:14
  You have to improvise the recipes and things because there is
• 31:18
  no standardization.
• 31:20
  SPEAKER_03: It's not like you're getting things from a typical supplier.
• 31:24
  SPEAKER_03: It's like a typical farm if you were in Santiago or somewhere.
• 31:29
  SPEAKER_03: It's like you have to work with what you get.
• 31:32
  Yeah,
• 31:32
  and normally sometimes we try to conserve some traditional ways too.
• 31:38
  SPEAKER_01: For example,
• 31:38
  SPEAKER_01: we make the nyx tamalization that we know that in Mexico exists,
• 31:42
  but here the locals peoples to do something similar with some
• 31:46
  local grass and ashes
• 31:47
  SPEAKER_01: by to make and to finish with some little bread.
• 31:50
  SPEAKER_01: Yes,
• 31:51
  and this is very interesting because we have some local
• 31:55
  techniques that the peoples
• 31:57
  SPEAKER_01: to use today
• 32:00
  SPEAKER_01: but maybe not too much.
• 32:02
  SPEAKER_01: And we try to take in by to continue preserving this.
• 32:07
  And we try to have some relationship with the peoples and to
• 32:11
  connect with the
• 32:12
  SPEAKER_01: environment and the dishes too,
• 32:14
  SPEAKER_01: because we know that exists a lot of tourists
• 32:17
  SPEAKER_01: And they want to know about the places,
• 32:20
  SPEAKER_01: but at the same time,
• 32:21
  SPEAKER_01: want to know about the product that we produce here.
• 32:24
  SPEAKER_01: And when we tell about the pumpkin,
• 32:27
  SPEAKER_01: for example,
• 32:28
  they never thinking that exists some kind of vegetables here
• 32:32
  because they never see
• 32:34
  SPEAKER_01: maybe some IEUs or some terrace.
• 32:36
  Normally,
• 32:37
  the peoples when thinking in the Andean area means immediately
• 32:42
  in quinoa,
• 32:43
  SPEAKER_01: potatoes, and that's it.
• 32:45
  SPEAKER_01: But when we explain that it exists more than this,
• 32:48
  SPEAKER_01: they say,
• 32:48
  SPEAKER_01: wow,
• 32:49
  it's incredible to have some dishes that have some fresh
• 32:55
  vegetables or some fresh
• 32:57
  SPEAKER_01: things by cooking or the kitchens to use by to make these connections.
• 33:04
  SPEAKER_01: I think this is so interesting.
• 33:06
  SPEAKER_01: And every single plate we explain where it comes from, the elevations,
• 33:11
  When we say,
• 33:12
  well,
• 33:12
  you may be being in the,
• 33:14
  I don't know,
• 33:15
  at the Camasol flat.
• 33:16
  SPEAKER_01: Well, we have some products, some fruits from Toconoa village.
• 33:19
  And they say,
• 33:20
  oh,
• 33:20
  well,
• 33:21
  we saw some kind of,
• 33:23
  I don't know,
• 33:23
  queens or some feed.
• 33:25
  And we have here in this table because it's the system and they
• 33:29
  make this connection.
• 33:31
  SPEAKER_01: And this is, I think it's more interesting.
• 33:34
  SPEAKER_01: And this make the difference immediately.
• 33:37
  SPEAKER_03: You mentioned nixtamolization.
• 33:39
  SPEAKER_03: Is the process, is it with corn?
• 33:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 33:43
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 33:44
  SPEAKER_03: And so what do they do exactly?
• 33:46
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 33:47
  SPEAKER_01: Well, yeah, yeah.
• 33:49
  SPEAKER_01: It's very similar.
• 33:51
  SPEAKER_01: We have some kind of grass, the cachiullio.
• 33:55
  SPEAKER_01: This is an endemic grass that grown up in San Pedro.
• 33:59
  SPEAKER_01: And the locals people here buy to take off the first peel of corn.
• 34:05
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 34:06
  they to take or burn first this grass and take the ashes and
• 34:12
  the ashes have some
• 34:13
  concentration of calcium or cal and this boiling with this dry
• 34:18
  corn and then we
• 34:21
  SPEAKER_01: take out the first peel and we can make some fresh masa,
• 34:24
  SPEAKER_01: for example,
• 34:25
  bite to finish in one little bread that we make the mix with
• 34:29
  the goat cheese,
• 34:31
  SPEAKER_01: the local goat cheese.
• 34:33
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 34:33
  And when we explain a little about that,
• 34:36
  the people say,
• 34:36
  wow,
• 34:37
  it's so interesting.
• 34:38
  SPEAKER_01: And the next stabilization have some similar way.
• 34:41
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, but maybe with other
• 34:44
  SPEAKER_01: kind of cal directly,
• 34:46
  SPEAKER_01: but take the natural calcium that come from some kind of grass,
• 34:51
  SPEAKER_01: for example.
• 34:52
  SPEAKER_01: And here is very typical,
• 34:53
  SPEAKER_01: actually,
• 34:53
  SPEAKER_01: the people's wash and boiling the corn by to make the patasca.
• 34:58
  This is very,
• 34:59
  very typical dish in San Pedro with llama meat and make like a soup.
• 35:04
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 35:05
  SPEAKER_01: And 400 and 100 of years, my grandfathers or the grand grandfathers
• 35:11
  SPEAKER_01: to use the same technique.
• 35:13
  SPEAKER_01: And today,
• 35:14
  SPEAKER_01: if I to ask the question to the more younger boys,
• 35:18
  SPEAKER_01: you know,
• 35:19
  SPEAKER_01: they sometimes not know about this technique.
• 35:22
  And we know a little part and we try to preserve by no loss
• 35:28
  maybe in the future.
• 35:29
  SPEAKER_01: This is the idea to try
• 35:31
  try to conserve our culture because we have a lot of syncretism
• 35:38
  and we try to keep
• 35:41
  SPEAKER_01: some part by to continue in the future and to say,
• 35:44
  SPEAKER_01: well,
• 35:44
  SPEAKER_01: we are delicatessen and we use this and this is part of our culture.
• 35:50
  SPEAKER_01: You know, this is what type of corn is it?
• 35:56
  SPEAKER_03: What is what does the corn look like?
• 35:58
  SPEAKER_03: Is it like a white corn?
• 36:00
  SPEAKER_03: Blue corn, I don't know.
• 36:01
  SPEAKER_02: Would you like to see it?
• 36:03
  SPEAKER_02: Sure, yeah, yeah.
• 36:06
  SPEAKER_02: Well, Carolina is bringing up.
• 36:09
  SPEAKER_02: This is the kind of corn that we have.
• 36:12
  SPEAKER_03: Ah, okay.
• 36:13
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, so that's like different varieties.
• 36:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, we have in San Pedro the most white ones, more like this.
• 36:23
  SPEAKER_01: And this, maybe.
• 36:25
  SPEAKER_01: Or maybe this.
• 36:26
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, this too.
• 36:29
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 36:30
  SPEAKER_01: And then if you go more high, you find some ones with different color.
• 36:35
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 36:36
  SPEAKER_01: And remember, we have some syncretism.
• 36:38
  SPEAKER_01: It's possible to find some kind of species in Bolivia,
• 36:41
  SPEAKER_01: too,
• 36:42
  SPEAKER_01: because just we have the imaginary lines today.
• 36:45
  SPEAKER_01: But sometimes, long time ago, the peoples
• 36:48
  SPEAKER_01: maybe to exchange some kind of corns,
• 36:53
  SPEAKER_01: potatoes,
• 36:54
  SPEAKER_01: and today some Andean village to produce this kind of corn.
• 36:59
  SPEAKER_01: And we continue to extract this.
• 37:03
  SPEAKER_01: And this we use to make this process, the nixtamalization, the dry corn.
• 37:08
  Here are some people to toast the corn,
• 37:11
  some hot sand,
• 37:13
  and make the canchitas.
• 37:14
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know if you know Canchita.
• 37:16
  SPEAKER_03: Did you say hot sand?
• 37:18
  SPEAKER_03: Sand, yes.
• 37:20
  SPEAKER_03: Wait, explain that to me.
• 37:24
  SPEAKER_01: Well, this corn, because in summer we have corn,
• 37:29
  But in winter,
• 37:31
  it's impossible to have the fresh corn and we have this,
• 37:34
  you know.
• 37:34
  SPEAKER_01: And this, we extract a little part and we put it in the hot sand.
• 37:42
  SPEAKER_01: We have every place, hot sand.
• 37:44
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 37:45
  And the people here putting in the hot sand and coming to
• 37:48
  remove and this coming to toast.
• 37:51
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 37:51
  SPEAKER_02: Something like to fry it, but in sand.
• 37:53
  SPEAKER_01: In sand.
• 37:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 37:54
  SPEAKER_01: No oil, nothing at all.
• 37:56
  SPEAKER_01: It's just in the hot sand.
• 37:58
  What's amazing is I saw somebody doing that with hot sand in
• 38:02
  corn in Colombia,
• 38:04
  SPEAKER_03: the very far north of Colombia,
• 38:06
  SPEAKER_03: in Guajira.
• 38:07
  SPEAKER_03: Guajira.
• 38:09
  SPEAKER_01: Similar ecosystem.
• 38:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yes.
• 38:12
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, yeah.
• 38:12
  SPEAKER_03: It's also a desert ecosystem.
• 38:14
  SPEAKER_03: It's also like an indigenous community doing it, Wayu.
• 38:20
  SPEAKER_03: So, yeah, that's amazing.
• 38:22
  Those two techniques are both used in deserts in very different
• 38:27
  parts of South America.
• 38:29
  SPEAKER_00: There is a lot of sand.
• 38:31
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, there's a lot of sand.
• 38:34
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah,
• 38:34
  SPEAKER_01: we remember when I was a child,
• 38:37
  my grandmother toasting this corn by to take some tea in the
• 38:44
  night with goat cheese.
• 38:47
  SPEAKER_01: Actually, this was very, very typical to eat the toast corn.
• 38:53
  SPEAKER_01: But to know more about that is like a canchitas.
• 38:56
  SPEAKER_01: Today, the people are making a pan.
• 38:58
  SPEAKER_01: The pan, yes, the pan.
• 39:02
  SPEAKER_01: With oils, and it's so cool, yes.
• 39:05
  SPEAKER_01: But to take this technique and to, for example, make fire to the sand,
• 39:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, and then to put this is you need some techniques too.
• 39:15
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, but to move, we need some kind of grass.
• 39:19
  SPEAKER_01: It's not just with the, I don't know, with spoon directly.
• 39:22
  SPEAKER_01: No, it's some kind of grass, but to remove, yes, and to cook it.
• 39:29
  SPEAKER_01: And this is very interesting.
• 39:32
  SPEAKER_01: And we continue.
• 39:34
  SPEAKER_01: And for me, I think that is one of the,
• 39:37
  the motivations by to open this restaurant was one of the the
• 39:42
  most important part
• 39:43
  because I know cooking anything but I know a lot about the
• 39:47
  territory yes and I know
• 39:49
  the products too in different elevations and to give maybe this
• 39:54
  technique with
• 39:55
  SPEAKER_01: Sergio
• 39:56
  SPEAKER_01: and we start with the restaurants today.
• 39:59
  SPEAKER_01: And this makes the difference because it's not just cooking in the pan,
• 40:03
  SPEAKER_01: it's to cooking or to make some techniques different.
• 40:07
  And when we explain this to the guests or the guests,
• 40:13
  this makes the difference completely.
• 40:15
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, they say, wow, it's very interesting.
• 40:17
  SPEAKER_01: Or sometimes say,
• 40:18
  SPEAKER_01: well,
• 40:19
  SPEAKER_01: like you,
• 40:20
  maybe the same technique is possible to find another way
• 40:23
  because maybe one time ago,
• 40:25
  SPEAKER_01: the relationship with the other's culture was so stronger.
• 40:29
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, and this is very common in San Pedro.
• 40:32
  SPEAKER_01: We have very strong relationship with the Amazon,
• 40:36
  SPEAKER_01: Argentina area,
• 40:37
  SPEAKER_01: the Atlantic Oceans,
• 40:39
  SPEAKER_01: some stuff that come from there,
• 40:42
  SPEAKER_01: here in San Pedro underneath.
• 40:45
  SPEAKER_01: And this is so fascinating, in my opinion, of course.
• 40:49
  Actually,
• 40:50
  sand is also used for another recipe that my mother taught me
• 40:56
  last year.
• 40:56
  SPEAKER_02: It is something called cocho.
• 41:01
  SPEAKER_02: It's from the chanyar.
• 41:03
  SPEAKER_02: You toast the chanyar in sand and then you cook it,
• 41:07
  you boil it and you let it rest like overnight and you get
• 41:11
  something like a flan,
• 41:12
  SPEAKER_02: but without egg,
• 41:14
  SPEAKER_02: without milk.
• 41:16
  SPEAKER_02: It's very nice, very interesting.
• 41:19
  SPEAKER_03: Remind me, Chanyar, is it a fruit or is it like a seed?
• 41:23
  SPEAKER_03: It's a fruit, but it's very hard.
• 41:26
  SPEAKER_03: It dries, right?
• 41:28
  SPEAKER_03: Like you pick it when it's like dried off the tree.
• 41:31
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 41:32
  SPEAKER_02: Actually, let's bring in something to show you.
• 41:37
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, there we go.
• 41:41
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, so it's this like little brown...
• 41:44
  fruit but it looks like a seed almost but it's very yeah it's
• 41:47
  so hard and have a
• 41:49
  little part that is possible to eat them because in the central
• 41:51
  part of the carouse
• 41:53
  yes the carouse is so huge and very hard but this is the best
• 41:58
  way by to eat them
• 41:59
  maybe is to put in the mouth and coming to destroy slowly
• 42:04
  because if you put and
• 42:05
  SPEAKER_01: you try to break no you can break some toes
• 42:09
  the idea is not to not to eat directly and here the peoples to
• 42:14
  make different
• 42:15
  things the syrup for one way need that maybe a hundred of pound
• 42:20
  because um
• 42:22
  reductions that the peoples to make in a big it contains i
• 42:27
  don't know in english
• 42:28
  but it's huge pots yes 20 liters sometime uh you put a lot of
• 42:33
  this you're boiling
• 42:34
  SPEAKER_01: for
• 42:35
  SPEAKER_01: One day is night and day, just 24 hours.
• 42:39
  SPEAKER_01: And then you extract, you take the caros.
• 42:43
  SPEAKER_01: This is a little part of the caros.
• 42:45
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 42:45
  SPEAKER_01: And in the central part, have a little seed like almond.
• 42:48
  SPEAKER_01: And we use the seed because a long time ago,
• 42:51
  SPEAKER_01: the people extracting for the syrup,
• 42:53
  SPEAKER_01: just the top layer.
• 42:56
  SPEAKER_01: then to take out the carrows and finish it just with the almond.
• 43:03
  SPEAKER_01: And here, Sergio, you have the almond.
• 43:05
  SPEAKER_01: And this was a typical, maybe, lichen nut for the local schools.
• 43:10
  SPEAKER_01: And this go in this part.
• 43:13
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know if you see it.
• 43:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 43:15
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 43:16
  SPEAKER_03: And you can just eat the nut or it's very hard?
• 43:18
  SPEAKER_01: No, no, no.
• 43:18
  SPEAKER_01: It's like almond.
• 43:20
  It's like...
• 43:22
  Of course,
• 43:22
  the finger is different,
• 43:23
  but the texture is like almond.
• 43:27
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yes.
• 43:28
  SPEAKER_01: And this,
• 43:28
  SPEAKER_01: for example,
• 43:29
  SPEAKER_01: in San Pedro,
• 43:29
  maybe just some couple of peoples to know about that because it
• 43:33
  was the principal
• 43:34
  SPEAKER_01: native fruit for the peoples here.
• 43:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 43:39
  SPEAKER_01: Like algarrobos and chanyar was the principal diet of the peoples.
• 43:44
  SPEAKER_03: Right, right.
• 43:45
  SPEAKER_03: No, that was like the sweetness.
• 43:47
  SPEAKER_03: Like that was the access to like sweetness, right?
• 43:49
  SPEAKER_03: Like that's the only things you could get.
• 43:52
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 43:53
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, what about other fruits?
• 43:56
  SPEAKER_03: Are there other like ancestral fruits that grow?
• 43:59
  SPEAKER_01: The algarrobos is the other.
• 44:02
  SPEAKER_03: No, any fruits, like any other, anything else?
• 44:05
  SPEAKER_01: Here,
• 44:06
  SPEAKER_01: well,
• 44:07
  SPEAKER_01: we have some fruits that come from today,
• 44:09
  SPEAKER_01: Pingo Pingo,
• 44:11
  SPEAKER_01: but this is the pen of the season.
• 44:13
  Yes,
• 44:14
  in springtime,
• 44:15
  we have,
• 44:16
  now we don't have anyone,
• 44:19
  and this is like a little berry.
• 44:22
  SPEAKER_01: It's very small, and the color is like a... Pum grenade.
• 44:27
  SPEAKER_01: Pum grenade, exactly.
• 44:29
  SPEAKER_01: It's very small and just grown in springtime, September and October.
• 44:35
  SPEAKER_01: This is complete from this area.
• 44:39
  SPEAKER_01: And, well, this was the fruit and the grass that we...
• 44:45
  SPEAKER_01: maybe we take by to put the names of this restaurant, Ephedra.
• 44:50
  SPEAKER_01: Ephedra Briana is the name of the Pingo Pingo.
• 44:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, here the common name is Pingo Pingo.
• 44:58
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, and have this little fruit, for this we put the Ephedra.
• 45:04
  But it's not possible to find all the years,
• 45:06
  you know,
• 45:07
  this is the other native fruit.
• 45:10
  SPEAKER_01: Then we have the motokuro, this smaller, yeah, potatoes.
• 45:16
  It's not directly a fruit,
• 45:18
  but we use because it's a little more sweetened and like coconut.
• 45:23
  SPEAKER_01: Then the other kind of fruits,
• 45:27
  SPEAKER_01: well,
• 45:27
  SPEAKER_01: to arrive with the spaniards,
• 45:29
  SPEAKER_01: yes,
• 45:30
  SPEAKER_01: like queens,
• 45:31
  SPEAKER_01: like a fig,
• 45:32
  SPEAKER_01: like a granite,
• 45:34
  SPEAKER_01: but today compose the gardens in San Pedro Atacama.
• 45:40
  but we use or to make some juice or some marmalade yeah with
• 45:44
  this kind or kombucha
• 45:47
  yes but it actually just we have one or two juice in the day
• 45:53
  it's not a lot because
• 45:55
  SPEAKER_01: we don't use melon or watermelon or strawberries nothing about that
• 46:00
  SPEAKER_01: because we try to connect with here.
• 46:03
  And then we have some grasses that grown up in summertime and
• 46:09
  it's possible to keep
• 46:10
  SPEAKER_01: in winter too and have some aromas like a lemon.
• 46:14
  SPEAKER_01: And this we use to make some kombuchas, for example, the suiko.
• 46:18
  This is another kind of native grass,
• 46:21
  but difficult to find every year for the rains.
• 46:25
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 46:30
  let's talk about all the herbs like things like like rica rica
• 46:36
  like i know that's
• 46:37
  kind of you can find it in santiago now but it's still a very
• 46:41
  special flavor and
• 46:43
  but the only thing i've ever really seen anyone do with it is
• 46:46
  just make ice cream
• 46:47
  SPEAKER_02: what do you do you guys do with it well we use it in a lot of uh but
• 46:54
  Honestly,
• 46:54
  we don't try to use it a lot because I think...
• 46:58
  Because it's kind of everywhere.
• 46:59
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah,
• 47:00
  SPEAKER_02: there is a sour,
• 47:01
  SPEAKER_02: Rica Rica sour,
• 47:04
  SPEAKER_02: things cooked in Rica Rica and they sell it like,
• 47:08
  SPEAKER_02: oh,
• 47:08
  SPEAKER_02: local food.
• 47:09
  SPEAKER_02: But I think it's just bullshit.
• 47:11
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, it's kind of lost it.
• 47:13
  SPEAKER_03: Like, yeah, it's... Yeah, Rica Rica sour.
• 47:18
  SPEAKER_03: That's like the one thing that's local that every hotel has on there.
• 47:23
  their like bar menu but i use it to make some kombucha now
• 47:27
  we're using to we are
• 47:30
  starting with a project of um cocktailery or drinks so we are
• 47:36
  trying to use it in a
• 47:38
  different way we are doing some syrups or we are working with a
• 47:42
  local liquor not
• 47:44
  SPEAKER_02: made for us
• 47:46
  SPEAKER_02: It's called the Rico Rico.
• 47:48
  SPEAKER_02: It's very interesting because it's an original way to use the rica rica.
• 47:52
  SPEAKER_02: It's a liquor from rica rica.
• 47:55
  SPEAKER_02: It's very nice.
• 47:56
  SPEAKER_03: So explain that.
• 47:58
  SPEAKER_03: So the original way was always a liqueur.
• 48:01
  SPEAKER_03: So it was like, what, fermented?
• 48:04
  SPEAKER_03: Like the rica rica?
• 48:05
  SPEAKER_02: It's a liquor.
• 48:06
  SPEAKER_02: It's almost, well,
• 48:09
  SPEAKER_02: I talked with Mateo or Mathieu, the people in charge of the production.
• 48:15
  SPEAKER_02: And basically he put Rica Rica in Aguardiente.
• 48:18
  SPEAKER_02: I don't know if you, or like a year.
• 48:25
  SPEAKER_02: It's a maceration because it's not a spirit or a distillate.
• 48:30
  SPEAKER_02: All right.
• 48:31
  SPEAKER_03: So it's just like a maceration of Rica Rica.
• 48:34
  SPEAKER_03: Okay.
• 48:34
  SPEAKER_03: But yeah, I assume there's a lot of those plants.
• 48:37
  SPEAKER_03: They have these like strong,
• 48:38
  SPEAKER_03: unique flavors,
• 48:40
  SPEAKER_03: but also lots of medicinal properties were probably used in that way.
• 48:45
  SPEAKER_00: Like what do you drink when it's hot, like teas or coffee?
• 48:50
  SPEAKER_00: What do you usually drink there?
• 48:52
  SPEAKER_01: Well, normally some people here, some grass is difficult.
• 48:58
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe the rica rica come to drinking.
• 49:00
  Yes,
• 49:01
  and to make some mix with some kind of juice,
• 49:05
  like a queen here in the desert.
• 49:08
  SPEAKER_01: But to preserve the queens, we dry.
• 49:12
  SPEAKER_01: We cut in a slice and then we dry in some area underneath.
• 49:18
  under is uh no directly then you know slowly so there's some
• 49:26
  shade yeah yes and
• 49:30
  then um make the mix uh with the rica rica and some kind of
• 49:35
  like queens like fig
• 49:36
  SPEAKER_01: like a pears we have a christmas pears it's a very small one yes uh
• 49:42
  SPEAKER_01: Or I remember the Zuiko,
• 49:45
  SPEAKER_01: for example,
• 49:46
  SPEAKER_01: in my little village is different temperature,
• 49:49
  SPEAKER_01: more elevation.
• 49:50
  And then my grandfather and my grandmother to drinking a tea
• 49:56
  with a Zuiko because
• 49:57
  SPEAKER_01: have this much like a lemon.
• 50:00
  Yes,
• 50:00
  and it's very interesting and give the color like a tea,
• 50:03
  it's like a black tea.
• 50:05
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, we drinking just that or the
• 50:08
  SPEAKER_03: Okay, is it made with suikos?
• 50:11
  SPEAKER_03: Do you use the flour?
• 50:12
  SPEAKER_01: We use an old bunch, yes.
• 50:16
  SPEAKER_01: I will show you.
• 50:18
  SPEAKER_01: We try when we're connecting the guests.
• 50:21
  SPEAKER_01: We go, for example, with the bread and we present the corn.
• 50:26
  SPEAKER_01: When we present the mole,
• 50:29
  SPEAKER_01: the chanyar mole,
• 50:30
  SPEAKER_01: we go with the fruit and we explain all that they to know.
• 50:34
  When we present the kombuchas or maybe we have a clean palate,
• 50:39
  we use this suiko.
• 50:42
  SPEAKER_01: This is the grass.
• 50:45
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 50:46
  SPEAKER_01: And have this little part.
• 50:47
  SPEAKER_01: This is the,
• 50:48
  SPEAKER_01: the,
• 50:48
  SPEAKER_01: the,
• 50:48
  SPEAKER_01: the flower have more aroma or is more like a lemon,
• 50:52
  SPEAKER_01: but we try to use every part and we infusion it in hot water.
• 50:58
  SPEAKER_01: And then we, we, I remember to drinking in like a tea.
• 51:05
  SPEAKER_01: And here we make some tea.
• 51:07
  SPEAKER_01: We offer some tea, the kombuchas, and the clean palate.
• 51:13
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, sorbet.
• 51:15
  SPEAKER_03: Or palate cleanser.
• 51:16
  SPEAKER_01: Or palate cleanser.
• 51:17
  Before we get too far along,
• 51:19
  I forgot to mention,
• 51:21
  I forgot to ask about the chanyar mole.
• 51:24
  SPEAKER_03: So you're making mole from chanyar.
• 51:27
  SPEAKER_03: Can you explain what that process is?
• 51:30
  SPEAKER_02: Well,
• 51:31
  SPEAKER_02: basically what we do is to,
• 51:32
  SPEAKER_02: like in Mexico,
• 51:33
  SPEAKER_02: in Central America,
• 51:35
  SPEAKER_02: what we want to emulate is the mole poblano.
• 51:39
  SPEAKER_02: It is sweet and spicy.
• 51:42
  SPEAKER_02: We roasted a lot of vegetables, almost burned, tatemados.
• 51:49
  We mix it with some vegetable fats,
• 51:53
  like some,
• 51:54
  for example,
• 51:55
  the almond of the chanar,
• 51:57
  some...
• 52:00
  SPEAKER_02: peanuts because we don't have another source of fats here.
• 52:08
  SPEAKER_02: And then we add some dry chilies or ajias.
• 52:14
  SPEAKER_02: And we use the,
• 52:17
  SPEAKER_02: as we don't have a cacao or chocolate here,
• 52:20
  SPEAKER_02: we use the chaynar syrup or arrope de chaynar.
• 52:23
  I don't know if you tried this kind of syrup to use the color
• 52:27
  and the sweetness.
• 52:29
  SPEAKER_02: And that is the process of the whole...
• 52:31
  SPEAKER_02: Obviously,
• 52:31
  SPEAKER_02: we use a lot of spices to give it some complexity.
• 52:35
  And we use,
• 52:36
  for example,
• 52:37
  the old mole from the last day to give the new one.
• 52:42
  SPEAKER_02: So we add some layers.
• 52:46
  SPEAKER_02: You keep infusing it.
• 52:47
  SPEAKER_02: You keep it alive.
• 52:48
  SPEAKER_02: Okay.
• 52:49
  SPEAKER_02: Not in the way that Alveda do it.
• 52:52
  SPEAKER_02: I think we use another process, I think.
• 52:55
  SPEAKER_02: But...
• 52:57
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah,
• 52:57
  SPEAKER_03: I think it's something like that,
• 52:58
  SPEAKER_03: where he just keeps using some of the batch in every new batch.
• 53:04
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and what do you serve it with?
• 53:06
  SPEAKER_03: Do you serve it by itself, or do you serve it with anything?
• 53:10
  Some vegetables,
• 53:12
  roasted,
• 53:13
  very slightly roasted vegetables,
• 53:14
  and tortillas,
• 53:15
  fresh tortillas.
• 53:16
  SPEAKER_02: But it's a very funny way to start.
• 53:20
  SPEAKER_02: Actually, it's our first course, because we want to
• 53:26
  SPEAKER_02: It gives some very surprising flavor to the people in the beginning.
• 53:30
  SPEAKER_02: I don't like to go from low flavor to high flavor.
• 53:35
  SPEAKER_02: I prefer to go directly and people... Right.
• 53:39
  SPEAKER_03: You want to capture their attention right away.
• 53:42
  SPEAKER_03: And you only have a tasting menu, right?
• 53:44
  SPEAKER_03: Like a different...
• 53:47
  SPEAKER_03: Courses, yes.
• 53:47
  SPEAKER_02: Yes,
• 53:48
  SPEAKER_02: we worked a la carte in the beginning,
• 53:50
  SPEAKER_02: but we decided to don't do it anymore because we lost a lot of map or,
• 53:58
  SPEAKER_02: yes,
• 53:59
  SPEAKER_02: because people,
• 54:01
  SPEAKER_02: there were dishes that people didn't use to order,
• 54:06
  SPEAKER_02: you know?
• 54:07
  SPEAKER_03: Right, right, right.
• 54:08
  SPEAKER_03: No,
• 54:08
  SPEAKER_03: I mean,
• 54:09
  SPEAKER_03: I think when you want to expose people to new flavors,
• 54:12
  SPEAKER_03: a la carte is not the way to do it.
• 54:17
  SPEAKER_03: Because that is so important to what this restaurant is.
• 54:19
  SPEAKER_03: But yeah, you have to kind of take them out of their comfort zone.
• 54:23
  They can't just keep ordering the one comfortable thing because
• 54:26
  they know what it is.
• 54:27
  SPEAKER_03: So yeah, I think that's a good, smart move.
• 54:33
  SPEAKER_03: But yeah, it's hard, I'm sure.
• 54:36
  SPEAKER_03: But you have like three, five, and seven course menus?
• 54:40
  SPEAKER_03: Is that how it is?
• 54:41
  SPEAKER_01: Three, five, and seven.
• 54:43
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 54:44
  SPEAKER_03: That's the way we work.
• 54:46
  SPEAKER_03: That makes sense.
• 54:47
  SPEAKER_03: And the wines are all Chilean or just Chilean-Argentinian?
• 54:53
  SPEAKER_02: We're just Chilean wines from Chilean Valley.
• 54:56
  We are trying to work with Huasco Valley,
• 55:00
  the nearest product Valley in the north.
• 55:06
  SPEAKER_02: Also Elqui.
• 55:07
  SPEAKER_02: I don't know if you know Elqui.
• 55:09
  SPEAKER_02: Marichi, Shoapa.
• 55:11
  SPEAKER_02: most of the north valleys,
• 55:13
  SPEAKER_02: but we also work with valleys from the south or the central part,
• 55:17
  SPEAKER_02: Casablanca,
• 55:21
  SPEAKER_02: Itata Valley.
• 55:22
  SPEAKER_02: We have a lot of Itata, mainly for pais and semillon.
• 55:28
  SPEAKER_02: And we work with Patagonia, Osorno Valley in Patagonia.
• 55:34
  SPEAKER_02: Okay, so the full length of Chile.
• 55:36
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 55:37
  SPEAKER_03: Chile, basically.
• 55:39
  SPEAKER_03: Tell me about your experience...
• 55:42
  SPEAKER_03: Abroad, like you're training.
• 55:43
  SPEAKER_03: Did you start cooking when you were in San Pedro,
• 55:46
  SPEAKER_03: growing up in San Pedro,
• 55:48
  SPEAKER_03: and you wanted to be a cook?
• 55:50
  SPEAKER_02: No.
• 55:52
  SPEAKER_02: I grew up here, but I have another career before to start to cook.
• 55:58
  SPEAKER_02: A lawyer.
• 55:59
  SPEAKER_02: What was that?
• 56:00
  SPEAKER_02: I went to the law school.
• 56:04
  SPEAKER_02: But during the pandemic, I started to...
• 56:10
  SPEAKER_02: I started to thinking about what I really wanted to do in life.
• 56:14
  SPEAKER_02: So I started to cook.
• 56:17
  SPEAKER_02: In the beginning, very easy recipes because I didn't have good skills.
• 56:27
  SPEAKER_02: And then I start to read about food, different kinds of recipes.
• 56:34
  expression of the food and then i found the fine dining format
• 56:38
  and it really caught
• 56:39
  my attention so i decided to go to the culinary school but i
• 56:46
  didn't want to study a
• 56:47
  SPEAKER_02: lot because i
• 56:49
  SPEAKER_02: Honestly, I was sick to study too much.
• 56:51
  SPEAKER_02: Right, right.
• 56:53
  SPEAKER_03: No, I can't imagine.
• 56:54
  SPEAKER_02: But I really was.
• 56:55
  I wanted to study just two years and went to some place,
• 56:59
  maybe Borago or Central.
• 57:02
  But one day I just was writing emails to different restaurants,
• 57:09
  like Noma.
• 57:11
  SPEAKER_02: But I got an answer from Geranium.
• 57:14
  SPEAKER_02: And I said, oh, okay, I have to go because...
• 57:18
  good opportunity to get some train and learn about how this
• 57:23
  work or this the
• 57:25
  kitchen works so i so what was it like you just you went from
• 57:31
  being basically a
• 57:34
  cook just practicing at home to suddenly in a three michelin
• 57:40
  star restaurant in in
• 57:42
  SPEAKER_02: the beginning it was a disaster because i
• 57:46
  SPEAKER_02: I had very, very low experience.
• 57:50
  Before that,
• 57:51
  I had,
• 57:53
  with Caro,
• 57:54
  we had a small business from home in the pandemic.
• 58:01
  SPEAKER_02: It was a Neapolitan pizza in the oven, you know, and that was my
• 58:12
  SPEAKER_02: a biggest experience.
• 58:13
  SPEAKER_02: But in the beginning, uranium was a disaster.
• 58:16
  SPEAKER_02: I caught myself with the slicing, you know.
• 58:20
  SPEAKER_01: The first day?
• 58:22
  SPEAKER_02: No.
• 58:23
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, okay.
• 58:24
  SPEAKER_02: The second day.
• 58:27
  SPEAKER_02: Nobody wants me in their section.
• 58:30
  SPEAKER_02: So, but I started to progress.
• 58:34
  SPEAKER_02: And I think I learned a lot there.
• 58:39
  SPEAKER_02: At the end, I started in the past producing dishes to the guests.
• 58:45
  SPEAKER_02: So I really feel proud how I improved there.
• 58:50
  SPEAKER_02: And I learned... How long were you there?
• 58:54
  SPEAKER_02: Like three, four months, I think.
• 58:57
  SPEAKER_02: And then you went to some other restaurants after that?
• 59:01
  SPEAKER_02: And where I go, I learned more about the...
• 59:04
  SPEAKER_02: Chilean endemic product.
• 59:05
  SPEAKER_02: I know you know, I think you know the kitchen of Rodolfo.
• 59:12
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 59:14
  But I know that even there,
• 59:16
  they didn't use too much product from this area.
• 59:23
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, no, I mean, just a few, right?
• 59:26
  SPEAKER_03: Just like Chanyar, Rosa del Año, Rica Rica.
• 59:31
  SPEAKER_03: Rica Rica.
• 59:33
  SPEAKER_03: I know...
• 59:34
  Patty,
• 59:35
  when I went,
• 59:35
  I went years ago and I met with Patty and,
• 59:39
  uh,
• 59:39
  I think.
• 59:40
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 59:40
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 59:41
  SPEAKER_03: And then she took me like on the,
• 59:42
  on the volcano and we collected herbs and I know she's like
• 59:46
  sends them things every
• 59:48
  SPEAKER_03: once in a while,
• 59:49
  SPEAKER_03: but I think it's hard to have regular access to those ingredients.
• 59:56
  SPEAKER_03: Like just,
• 59:56
  SPEAKER_03: just have them reliably on a menu in Santiago must be hard outside of,
• 1:00:01
  SPEAKER_03: you know,
• 1:00:01
  SPEAKER_03: Rica Rica or Rosada Año.
• 1:00:04
  SPEAKER_03: um, so yeah.
• 1:00:05
  SPEAKER_03: So if you really want to taste those flavors, you have to go.
• 1:00:08
  And I think that's why what you're doing is so special because
• 1:00:13
  I think it,
• 1:00:13
  SPEAKER_03: it creates this opportunity to,
• 1:00:15
  SPEAKER_03: to taste all of these like amazing things,
• 1:00:19
  SPEAKER_03: things that don't taste like anything else.
• 1:00:21
  SPEAKER_03: Like all of these,
• 1:00:24
  SPEAKER_03: these herbs,
• 1:00:24
  SPEAKER_03: like even Rika Rika,
• 1:00:25
  SPEAKER_03: even though you're sick of it,
• 1:00:26
  SPEAKER_03: it's like,
• 1:00:27
  SPEAKER_03: it's still such a special herb.
• 1:00:30
  SPEAKER_03: Like I don't even, it doesn't taste like anything else.
• 1:00:33
  SPEAKER_03: Like,
• 1:00:34
  SPEAKER_03: And like chanyar.
• 1:00:35
  And I have actually,
• 1:00:38
  you know,
• 1:00:38
  I have this herb that I have in a jar in my kitchen in the house.
• 1:00:42
  SPEAKER_03: That's it's like, I think, I think of two, like tolia and tolia.
• 1:00:47
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 1:00:50
  SPEAKER_03: But I have no idea what to do with it.
• 1:00:54
  SPEAKER_03: What should I do with it?
• 1:00:55
  Because I've forgotten what I'm supposed to do with it since
• 1:00:57
  the time I was there.
• 1:00:58
  SPEAKER_03: It's been like six years or something.
• 1:01:01
  SPEAKER_03: So it's just in a jar and it's like in a good state.
• 1:01:03
  SPEAKER_03: It still smells great.
• 1:01:05
  SPEAKER_03: But...
• 1:01:06
  SPEAKER_03: Do I just make tea with it or is there another use for it?
• 1:01:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, well, tolilla.
• 1:01:11
  SPEAKER_01: It is tolilla.
• 1:01:13
  SPEAKER_01: Normally, this is when you break some bones.
• 1:01:18
  SPEAKER_01: When some animals,
• 1:01:19
  SPEAKER_01: for example,
• 1:01:20
  SPEAKER_01: to break some food or something like that,
• 1:01:23
  SPEAKER_01: the people make some like a...
• 1:01:26
  paste yes mooring in some mortar and then putting around to the
• 1:01:32
  articulation or
• 1:01:32
  something like that i think maybe it's another different kind
• 1:01:37
  of grass just maybe
• 1:01:38
  you buy it because it was tolia normally it not tasted so good
• 1:01:44
  maybe it was muña
• 1:01:45
  muña this is another more like no no no it was it was i'm
• 1:01:50
  pretty sure yeah okay
• 1:01:52
  yes yeah because normally by drinking is a very um not have too
• 1:01:57
  much a lift it's
• 1:01:59
  just you know it's just a little grass and not have too much
• 1:02:03
  aromas in my opinion
• 1:02:05
  SPEAKER_01: but i don't know
• 1:02:07
  SPEAKER_03: All right.
• 1:02:08
  SPEAKER_03: I'll have to, like, I honestly, it's like been in a jar for years.
• 1:02:11
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know.
• 1:02:11
  SPEAKER_03: I'll have to, like, just smell it again.
• 1:02:13
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah,
• 1:02:13
  SPEAKER_01: because here exists some medicinal grass,
• 1:02:17
  SPEAKER_01: and some ones,
• 1:02:18
  SPEAKER_01: like a rica rica,
• 1:02:20
  SPEAKER_01: actually,
• 1:02:21
  SPEAKER_01: we use it by the stomachache,
• 1:02:23
  SPEAKER_01: by muscle relax,
• 1:02:25
  SPEAKER_01: yes,
• 1:02:26
  SPEAKER_01: principally.
• 1:02:27
  SPEAKER_01: But today,
• 1:02:27
  SPEAKER_01: the people use for everything,
• 1:02:29
  SPEAKER_01: you know,
• 1:02:29
  SPEAKER_01: by to make some dessert,
• 1:02:31
  SPEAKER_01: by to make some drinkings.
• 1:02:36
  SPEAKER_01: But someone has maybe more connection, like a medicinal one.
• 1:02:40
  SPEAKER_01: Yes,
• 1:02:41
  SPEAKER_01: maybe not tested so good,
• 1:02:43
  SPEAKER_01: but it's great for the stomachache,
• 1:02:45
  SPEAKER_01: for the cough,
• 1:02:46
  SPEAKER_01: or something like that.
• 1:02:47
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yes.
• 1:02:48
  Yeah,
• 1:02:48
  but if it's the tolilla,
• 1:02:51
  normally the locals people here use it to make some...
• 1:02:57
  SPEAKER_01: that we put in directly in the hands or in the food to care the animal.
• 1:03:04
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, principally.
• 1:03:06
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 1:03:07
  SPEAKER_03: That gives me at least some direction of what to do with it.
• 1:03:11
  SPEAKER_03: But have you tried maybe an infusion or something?
• 1:03:15
  SPEAKER_03: No, I've never done anything with it.
• 1:03:17
  SPEAKER_03: It's been in a jar.
• 1:03:18
  SPEAKER_03: The thing is, there's not even information online.
• 1:03:21
  It's just been in this jar in my spice cabinet where there's
• 1:03:25
  things from everywhere
• 1:03:26
  SPEAKER_03: and it just keeps piling up.
• 1:03:28
  And half the time I don't end up doing anything with them
• 1:03:31
  because it's just like I
• 1:03:34
  never know what to do with it because it's so removed from
• 1:03:36
  their original context.
• 1:03:39
  SPEAKER_03: But yeah, I've never done anything with it.
• 1:03:40
  SPEAKER_03: It's just been sitting there and it looks strange and wonderful.
• 1:03:45
  SPEAKER_03: But you can't even find information online.
• 1:03:48
  SPEAKER_03: That's the thing.
• 1:03:50
  SPEAKER_03: A lot of these ingredients, there's no books to read.
• 1:03:54
  SPEAKER_03: There's no real information.
• 1:03:58
  SPEAKER_03: It's just kind of traditions.
• 1:04:01
  I'm sure there's maybe some anthropological text somewhere that
• 1:04:06
  talks about these things,
• 1:04:07
  but...
• 1:04:08
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know.
• 1:04:09
  There's not like a,
• 1:04:10
  is there an Atacama cookbook with all of these things in it?
• 1:04:14
  SPEAKER_03: I think there is no.
• 1:04:16
  SPEAKER_01: No.
• 1:04:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 1:04:19
  SPEAKER_01: I think that is necessary maybe to make something similar.
• 1:04:23
  SPEAKER_01: Are you guys still right?
• 1:04:25
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly.
• 1:04:26
  SPEAKER_01: Well, maybe.
• 1:04:28
  SPEAKER_02: Maybe.
• 1:04:28
  SPEAKER_01: In the future.
• 1:04:30
  Yes,
• 1:04:30
  principally the grasses,
• 1:04:31
  because sometimes the peoples have this information.
• 1:04:36
  SPEAKER_01: This is empiric.
• 1:04:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yes,
• 1:04:39
  SPEAKER_01: or the peoples to know,
• 1:04:40
  SPEAKER_01: the locals peoples,
• 1:04:42
  SPEAKER_01: and we try to replay the same,
• 1:04:44
  SPEAKER_01: but no exist any books or anything by to say,
• 1:04:47
  SPEAKER_01: okay,
• 1:04:48
  SPEAKER_01: this is just the things that we listen about to generations.
• 1:04:52
  SPEAKER_01: Actually,
• 1:04:53
  SPEAKER_01: my mom to recollecting,
• 1:04:55
  SPEAKER_01: yeah,
• 1:04:55
  SPEAKER_01: by to sell in San Pedro,
• 1:04:57
  SPEAKER_01: some kind of grasses,
• 1:04:58
  SPEAKER_01: by this I know every single grass and I know there may be,
• 1:05:06
  what is the medicinal grass or what kind of grass you don't
• 1:05:11
  want to drink because,
• 1:05:13
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know,
• 1:05:13
  SPEAKER_01: have some things.
• 1:05:15
  SPEAKER_01: You know, all this is so important to know, but we don't have any books.
• 1:05:19
  SPEAKER_01: It's so difficult.
• 1:05:21
  SPEAKER_01: And maybe some years ago, for the...
• 1:05:30
  to make some project with the high school by to recollect some
• 1:05:35
  information in
• 1:05:36
  different ecological floor in the north part or in the south
• 1:05:40
  part and to take some
• 1:05:41
  kind of grasses but this today we know a little more but the
• 1:05:45
  peoples here call
• 1:05:46
  SPEAKER_01: difference too because exists the specific name the scientific name
• 1:05:52
  And the common name,
• 1:05:54
  Antolilla,
• 1:05:55
  maybe exists 10 different kinds of grass with the same name.
• 1:05:58
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, this is so important to know.
• 1:06:01
  SPEAKER_01: By this, maybe you have any other different kind of grass.
• 1:06:06
  SPEAKER_01: By this, I know, I remember, or I don't know,
• 1:06:10
  why you maybe don't use it because the aroma maybe or the
• 1:06:15
  woman's that to sell you
• 1:06:17
  to say that this kind of grass is good by drinking and infusion
• 1:06:22
  for example but in
• 1:06:24
  my way maybe it's another different grass that have the same
• 1:06:27
  name but we use for
• 1:06:28
  another different way maybe yes this happens a lot yeah a lot
• 1:06:34
  no i'm sure there's
• 1:06:36
  SPEAKER_03: probably a
• 1:06:38
  SPEAKER_03: another name in every IU for some of these things.
• 1:06:45
  SPEAKER_03: It's hard, but somebody needs to be inspired to collect that information.
• 1:06:52
  If these stories stop getting told,
• 1:06:57
  then tremendous knowledge becomes lost.
• 1:07:04
  SPEAKER_03: I think what you guys are doing, it's really important because
• 1:07:08
  It makes people aware of these things and the value that they
• 1:07:11
  have and the other
• 1:07:13
  SPEAKER_03: potential they can have,
• 1:07:14
  SPEAKER_03: other uses they can have.
• 1:07:17
  And I'm sure there are local people that work with you or they
• 1:07:23
  come in in some way
• 1:07:24
  or another or are exposed to what you guys are doing in some
• 1:07:28
  way that they also
• 1:07:31
  SPEAKER_03: pick up an interest.
• 1:07:32
  SPEAKER_03: And I hope, I'm sure they do.
• 1:07:35
  SPEAKER_03: I'm sure that
• 1:07:37
  SPEAKER_03: you know,
• 1:07:37
  SPEAKER_03: you guys are getting all this attention that it,
• 1:07:40
  SPEAKER_03: it has a very positive effect,
• 1:07:43
  SPEAKER_03: you know?
• 1:07:43
  SPEAKER_03: And I, I think these things have to start somewhere.
• 1:07:46
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 1:07:47
  SPEAKER_03: I think it's very brave of you to, uh, to do that.
• 1:07:51
  SPEAKER_03: And it's, it's quite incredible.
• 1:07:53
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 1:07:54
  SPEAKER_03: And it's, it's just been like one year, right?
• 1:07:56
  SPEAKER_03: Did you, have you been one year open yet?
• 1:07:58
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, not even one year.
• 1:08:01
  SPEAKER_02: Next month, next year, next month, we are, uh,
• 1:08:07
  we are um i don't know in english we are having one year yeah
• 1:08:14
  the anniversary um
• 1:08:15
  SPEAKER_03: yeah and yeah okay yeah yeah super cool and like i'm sure there's lots of
• 1:08:20
  challenges um especially like and it's it's amazing like you've
• 1:08:25
  just started
• 1:08:25
  cooking during the pandemic like and like you've you've gone
• 1:08:29
  from from that in like
• 1:08:32
  SPEAKER_02: such a short time yes i really well
• 1:08:36
  SPEAKER_02: I really like to read also, to study and to learn by myself.
• 1:08:41
  So I think that is the reason because my progress has been very
• 1:08:47
  rapid or quickly,
• 1:08:48
  yes.
• 1:08:50
  SPEAKER_03: Juliana, do you have any other questions?
• 1:08:51
  SPEAKER_00: No, I mean, I agree.
• 1:08:53
  SPEAKER_00: It's definitely brave and it's great to just hear the story.
• 1:08:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, just to congratulate you.
• 1:09:01
  SPEAKER_00: I agree.
• 1:09:01
  SPEAKER_00: It's impressive and I hope
• 1:09:03
  you guys maybe start for a glossary of these products that then
• 1:09:09
  maybe in the future
• 1:09:11
  SPEAKER_00: can be a book.
• 1:09:12
  SPEAKER_00: It would be a shame if it's not registered,
• 1:09:17
  SPEAKER_00: given that you are doing all this research and exploration.
• 1:09:22
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, compile information, share it if you can.
• 1:09:25
  Yeah,
• 1:09:26
  it's definitely,
• 1:09:27
  I think,
• 1:09:27
  would be helpful to everyone in that region.
• 1:09:31
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 1:09:33
  SPEAKER_00: All right, guys.
• 1:09:37
  SPEAKER_03: Um, it's a pleasure, like, uh, meeting you face to face.
• 1:09:41
  SPEAKER_00: We have to connect them with, um, with the people in, uh, La Guajira.
• 1:09:45
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, that would, that would be an amazing cultural exchange.
• 1:09:50
  SPEAKER_03: Like the Colombian Caribbean desert to the Atacama.
• 1:09:55
  And they actually have a book with the,
• 1:09:58
  all these,
• 1:09:58
  uh,
• 1:09:59
  fruits from the desert.
• 1:10:00
  SPEAKER_00: So.
• 1:10:02
  SPEAKER_00: I'm going to ask the editor if he has a PDF copy.
• 1:10:05
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe I can get it.
• 1:10:07
  SPEAKER_02: Nice.
• 1:10:08
  SPEAKER_02: It would be very nice to have it.
• 1:10:11
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 1:10:12
  SPEAKER_00: I'll ask.
• 1:10:13
  SPEAKER_03: And we'll leave it at that.
• 1:10:15
  SPEAKER_03: And hopefully everyone goes to visit and taste those flavors in person.
• 1:10:22
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks, guys.
• 1:10:22
  SPEAKER_03: No, thanks to you, guys.
• 1:10:23
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 1:10:26
  SPEAKER_03: If you haven't subscribed to the newsletter yet,
• 1:10:28
  SPEAKER_03: please go to neworder.com or search for New Order on Substack.
• 1:10:49
  Check out my books like the Latin American Cookbook in
• 1:10:53
  bookstores everywhere.
• 1:10:54
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you to my friend Pat Buzzard for the music to the show.
• 1:10:59
  SPEAKER_03: That's it.
• 1:11:01
  SPEAKER_03: See everyone later.