Chef Chat: San Antonio’s Geronimo Lopez Sets the Record Straight on Peruvian Food

When two very different cuisines come together, magic happens. Add in an esteemed chef like Geronimo Lopez, and the sky’s the limit.

Lopez’s new hot-spot, Botika, just opened earlier this summer, bringing together Peruvian and Asian flavors in the heart of San Antonio, Texas. The menu features classic dishes hailing from Latin America with an Asian twist – such as Duck Confit & Potato Salteñas, Plantain Sushi Roll and Lomo Saltado, prepared in a wok.

We chatted with the Venezuelan-born chef on his restaurant concept, travel history and what its like to be in the heart of San Antonio. Read it all in our chef chat ahead! [pagebreak]

How did your upbringing in Venezuela influence your culinary career?

I grew up in Caracas – a big, dynamic city with many different cultures that live together. People migrated to Venezuela from all over the world. The culinary scene in my youth was nothing shy from NYC or Paris, where you could get the best shawarmas and walk a block down and eat amazing pizza. Growing accustomed to those flavors marks your palate forever.

How did you first become involved with Nao (Nao Latin American Gastro Bar)?

I was in touch with CIA since 2010 for a teaching position in Hyde Park, then the Latin Cuisines project in San Antonio came along in the end of 2011, and I got really excited about it. The idea of having the helm of a kitchen dedicated to Latin cuisines was a dream come true.

Aside from working in your native Venezuela, you’ve also worked in Croatia, Slovenia, and many other places. What influence did these experiences have on your culinary career?

The love for the product, the traditions – it’s what we call “terroire”. It is very different to taste a Burgundy wine than to actually witness the culture. The wine process and eat the food of that place, every single place I’ve been, I have been lucky enough to visit or live has ingrained a flavor profile in me.

What flavors or foods are essential to San Antonio cuisine? How has it changed from when you first started there until now?

Personally, I have develop an addiction for fluffy flour tortillas – just that with good beans and some avocado makes me feel at home in San Antonio anytime. Before I got here, there were a good amount of chefs pushing hard for the city’s culinary scene. I think I was fortunate enough to be in a wave that is important because of what the Pearl represents for the local and regional culinary scene. You can find many different styles and proposals here, and that is beautiful. [pagebreak]

Tell us about the “Chifa” and “Nikkei” cuisines you cook at Botika. Where and how did you first discover this?

In Caracas, we have a enormous amount of Peruvians that emigrated; these people usually work in the service industry. I learned to love Peruvian food through family meals, tacu tacu and ceviches where always part of our pre service nourishment, We also have a huge Chinese community. Sundays were dim sum for breakfast, and through the years I became more and more aware of the melting pot and the deliciousness of the Chifa and the Nikkei movement.

How do you try to incorporate both Asian and Peruvian flavors into your drinks and dishes?

Chifa and Nikkei are the result of decades of mingling of the Asian and the Peruvian cultures – in an effortless but amazing result.

From Botika’s Instagram, it seems as though the restaurants décor & ambiance is very important. Tell us a bit about that!

We started with the idea of creating a space that drives the guest immediately to a little trip outside San Antonio – the colors, textures and music was always meant to be bright and vibrant. Our ambiance is one of good vibes and comfort!