At the Table with… Victor Albisu

Victor Albisu is chef and owner of the upcoming taqueria Taco Bamba in Falls Chuch, Virginia and Del Campo in Penn Quarter, which will hearken back to his South American asado roots. Before embarking on his latest projects, Albisu served as executive chef of BLT Steak in Washington, D.C., where he cooked for President and Mrs. Obama, and at Michelin three-star restaurant L'Aperge in Paris. Albisu also serves on the Chef Council for Share our Strength's Taste of the Nation and supports The First Lady's Let's Move! campaign. Albisu lives in Virginia with his wife and children.  

Stay tuned for coverage of Taco Bamba and Del Campo next month, but in anticipation of these D.C. openings, we got Chef Albisu's thoughts on Latin food, influences, and the perfect meals.

Dish you crave from your abuela: 

My grandmother was an amazing cook but I miss my grandfather’s empanadas de carne, and his sweet guava stuffed empanadas.

Secret ingredient to make a dish pop: 

I love using ground espelette pepper from the Basque country.

Favorite Latin restaurant in the U.S.: 

Empellón Taqueria in New York City.

Favorite Latin restaurant in the world:

Patagonia Sur in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Favorite city to eat: 

Lima, Peru.

Secret to a perfect dinner party: 

Share it with family and the people you love.

Biggest food indulgence: 

Manjar Blanco (Peruvian Dulce de Leche).

Favorite vegetable: 

Onion.

Best food memory: 

Making empanadas with my grandfather standing on a milk crate when I was five years old.

Ideal breakfast, lunch and dinner:

Breakfast: Café con Leche with Peruvian Alfajores.

Lunch: Cuban Sandwich pressed with ham croquettes, and plantain chips.

Dinner: Argentinean style asado with different cuts of meat, offal, and chorizos.

Favorite kitchen gadget: 

Microplane.

Perfect song to cook to: 

Anything by Pearl Jam.

Most adventurous food you eat: 

Chicken hearts.

Favorite fusion: 

I really like the combination of Chinese and Peruvian cuisine known as chifa.

Tip for at-home cooks:

Sharpen your knives, more accidents happen with dull knives than with sharp knives.