PHOENIX — From the Andes to the Valley of the Sun, one restaurant is bringing the food of Peru to Arizona! This is how 'El Chullo' brought people together over good food and good memories.
And for Jose Daniel Ramirez Luzcando, whose family owns and operates the restaurant, there's one childhood dish that stands out: lomo saltado. In his home in Peru, lomo saltado was a dish for celebration.
"I remember when I grew up my mom would make this dish sometimes. If I got good grades or if I was behaving," he said.
Now, it's one of the most popular dishes at El Chullo. The Valley staple has been serving up authentic Peruvian cuisine for almost ten years.
Jose's parents started the restaurant and have since built a loyal customer base. Jose said it's all because of the passion he and his family have for the country and their culture.
Peru may be roughly 3800 miles away from Arizona, but since moving to the states when he was 15, Jose's family kept their culture and traditions close.
"It's very nice to see people experience Peruvian food. Get involved with the culture," he said.
Despite setbacks like the COVID-19 pandemic, El Chullo was able to finally open a second location on 7th Avenue in early July. For Jose, it was like a dream come true, and he owed it all to the community that helped to keep the dream alive.
At the new location, customers get a taste of all of Peru's diverse landscape. The coast, the Andes, and the jungle come together to decorate the space and flavor the cuisine.
Jose plans to honor the traditional foods of his country, but also push the cuisine into new territory.
“One of the things that we're trying to make here at this location is test new types of ceviche, with a Peruvian-Japanese style ceviche," he explained.
Ceviche, a dish made of fresh raw fish marinated in citrus and spices, is a staple of Peruvian food. It's also an opportunity for the restaurant to flourish!
Jose's family is working on getting a food truck to host pop up events with other South American food truck owners, he said. And if they pull it off, they'll be taking a little taste of Peru across the Valley.
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
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