Casa Andina’s Executive Chef, Teddy Bouroncle, graduated from the Los Andes Institute in Lima and, despite his young age, has already employed his culinary talents in Peru, the United States and Spain. He created the menus for the Casa Andina gourmet restaurants (Alma - cocina viva) in its Private Collection hotels across Peru. While Teddy continues to travel to and oversee all of Casa Andina’s Private Collection restaurants, he recently moved with his family from Cusco to the helm of the new Alma - cocina viva in Miraflores(Lima).

Teddy’s most recent, and valuable, training was with the world-famous Basque chef Juan Mari Arzak, of the 3-star Michelin restaurant Arzak in San Sebastián, Spain. From his apprenticeship with Arzak, Teddy says, “I learned an amazing amount about technique, sauces and presentation. Arzak is an absolute master.” Bouroncle’s biggest influences among internationally renowned chefs include Arzak and Thomas Keller, of the acclaimed Napa Valley (California) restaurant The French Laundry.

The concept for Casa Andina restaurants is creative cocina de autor—modern Peruvian cuisine that focuses above all on local ingredients and influences. Teddy seeks to interpret, adapt and reinvigorate local gastronomic traditions and products, be they Andean grains and lake fish from Titicaca, the splendid local produce of the Sacred Valley, or the rich fish and seafood of tiraditos and ceviches from Lima and the coast. Each Alma - cocina viva menu includes daily “chef’s suggestions” that present quintessentially local ingredients and dishes. “My idea is to respect regional products—whatever is freshest and closest.”

Bouroncle doesn’t feel limited by creating menus for a large number of international guests and tourists. “We use plenty of Peruvian ajíes (hot peppers) because they have incredible flavor and they’re very balanced, unlike Mexican hot peppers. Rocoto, lime ají and yellow ají are all spectacular, but of course you have to be careful, because many visitors aren’t accustomed to spicy foods, and that can certainly affect them, especially at high altitude.”

In fact, Teddy is excited by the opportunity to introduce both traditional and cutting-edge Peruvian gastronomy—which has become fashionable in Lima and other cities in Peru—to new fans from around the world.