Katherine Ríos, the Peruvian who competes in the most prestigious contest for young chefs

Katherine Ríos’s journey to follow her passion in the kitchen has taken her to different destinations: serving in the dining room of a restaurant in the US, learning about Chicha techniques from Arequipa, working in a two-Michelin-star restaurant in France and , finally, to put together his own project in Palestro (Italy).

About those difficulties to be accepted in a new kitchen, and country, as well as her curiosity and interest in learning about Italian traditions, her Migration and Integration dish is nourished with which she participates, for the second time, in the San Pellegrino contest for young chefs Young Chef.

“As a cook, each experience has helped me and helped me understand that cooking is a vehicle that unites cultures and peoples. For this reason, on my plate I capture a journey that speaks from my beginnings in Peru, my time in France and, finally, my stay in Italy. […] This is an opportunity to tell a little more about our country, our culture, my origins and my acceptance and adaptation to this new country.”, comments, to Provecho, the chef from Arequipa.

She is competing as a regional semifinalist for Italy. To support her, you can vote for her dish through January 25.

the beginnings

Katherine Ríos first studied pharmacy and biochemistry; but during a trip to the US, where she worked as a waitress, she discovered that her true passion was in gastronomy. “I saw cooking as an opportunity to change my career. That trip helped me a lot to realize that this actually made me happy.”, he remembers from Italy, where he moved in 2021.

He studied at the Paul Bocuse Peru Institute and did an internship (‘stages’) at the Arequipa restaurant Chicha: “to deepen my knowledge of Arequipa cuisine. I wanted to know my roots well first, learn more techniques. It motivated me because it’s the kitchen I grew up with”. Then he traveled to Lyon (France) to the kitchen of La mère Brazier, winner of two Michelin stars. She closed the internship cycle at Astrid & Gastón to delve into the different cuisines of the north, center and south of Peru.

la dolce vita

Katherine Ríos is competing as a regional semifinalist for Italy in the San Pellegrino Young Chef contest. In 2021, she moved to Italy together with her partner, fellow chef Simone Nebbia whom she met years ago in Lima while working at Symposium. They then collaborated together on Troppo.

“Working with Simone has been very nice because he was the one who taught me to love Italian cuisine so much. He was the person who made me fall in love (laughs) with this great country, ”says the chef. “My first school in Italy will always be Simone’s house”, she emphasizes.

Together they have traveled, they have investigated and learned to respect their ideas and decisions to achieve a common goal. They continue to motivate each other in search of fulfilling their dreams. This is how they came to Palestro, the town where Simone is from, to open a restaurant that has its own garden and animals.

“Working with Simone is like a roller coaster. She has ups and downs, her adrenaline shots, but in the end we are on the same path, ”she maintains. The same path that (we hope) will accompany you soon with new achievements.