EXCLUSIVE: Chef James Tahhan Shares His Best Healthy Fusion Tips

Chef James Tahhan knows a thing or two about fusion cooking. Just last year, the Venezuelan released The Homemade Chef, which was full of Pan-Latino recipes with influences from Africa and the Mediterranean. This year, Tahhan has continued on his fusion streak in collaboration with McDonald’s, who just rolled out bold, new flavors in their Signature Crafted Recipes. (Consider, for instance, the Pico Guacamole burger, topped with 100% Hass avocados, freshly prepared pico de gallo, and a fresh lime wedge.)

For the new dishes, Tahhan relied on his fusion mentality, focusing on melding two cultures into one. “We live in a world of fusion, of cultures, and we’re seeing it every day much more. And so is the same in the food world,” Tahhan said. “We see this, for example, in Peruvian cuisine with the two biggest fusions with the Chifa cuisine (Chinese-Peruvian) and then Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian).”

Fusion doesn’t, of course, mean a sacrifice on nutrition. “I think that now we’re in an era where people are understanding more that their ingredients are and what their ingredients should be. We’re much more conscious about what we want in our bodies,” the fit chef explained. 

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It’s this balance of innovation, healthfulness, and flavor that Tahhan strives for. “We have a lot of recipes that are fusion. In the cookbook, we wanted to make 100 recipes that are extremely simple and delicious,” he said. “However, we’ve also gotten into the trend where the fitness world has, in a way, gone in the wrong direction because you’re sacrificing sitting down to eat a good meal. You’re not looking for that next meal anymore because it’s going to be boiled broccoli and steamed chicken.”

That doesn’t mean it’s been all smooth sailing.

“Like anything else in life, you have to try. And the more you try, the more you’re going to understand, and you have to test things that might go in the right direction and some won’t,” Tahhan said, when reflecting on some of his previous fusion mishaps. “So, that will clearly tell you what are some of the flavors or ideas that you can put together when cooking at home. It’s also about being willing to make the mistakes.” 

But you won’t find any mistakes in the new line, now on menus at the restaurant nationwide.