“A Comer”: meet the young creatives behind the popular recipe channel | VIDEO

Are the ‘influencers‘ most popular gastronomic of social networks. Only on Instagram they have 588 thousand followers; 4.3 million on Facebook and 533 thousand on YouTube, not counting the millions of comments that follow each of their recipes. “We are two virals away from reaching a million followers on TikTok,” says Alfredo Mora, the youngest member of the A Comer team, the virtual recipe book that teaches how to cook in minutes -or seconds- the most appetizing dishes of our infinite tradition. cuisine within reach of any pocket.

Alfredo is 21 years old and is in charge of making the videos of the recipes that we see every day. Upon joining the team, he refreshed the narrative of the videos, making sure that each dish is a true star of the images. He tells us that they are managing to decipher and conquer the public of TikTok: “It breaks borders, even more than Instagram or Facebook”, he affirms with the certainty of knowing his public and social networks. Currently, he is a ‘roommate’ of Alexander Quesquén (33) and Elías Valdez (27), the creative chefs of A Comer and those responsible for craving rice with seafood, crispy pork or classic ceviches every day of the year. Although they did not predict success, they are aware of its convening power and influence at this time.

THE FLAVORS OF HOME

With great respect for the history of our food, they investigate, read all kinds of recipe books, take courses and take into account the advice that followers leave in the comments of their recipes, of course, without forgetting the first laws they learned in the kitchen of mom: “I always liked cooking, since I was 10 years old. When my little brother was born, my mother asked me to help her in the kitchen, and with her guidance I discovered that I liked her and she always made new contributions”, recalls Alexander. She was part of the first recipes that she made with Elías and helped them perfect them. “I remember that at the beginning our parents helped us a lot,” says Elías. “If we said we would make picarones, Alexander’s father was already looking for fig leaves. Or my mom would save me plates, dryers, placemats, those little things that were hard to find at first.”

Elías was born in El Tambo, Huancayo, and studied gastronomy. The Huanca influence is noticeable in his recipes such as mote broth, pachamanca or red rice. She even gets some of his products from his trips or when one of his aunts brings him a freshly slaughtered lamb, fresh cheese or potato: “It’s something else! It is a product that has a different flavor than the one that reaches the market,” says Elías.

That flavor of home, of the roots, is the same that is transmitted in each of their recipes. In a simple and didactic way, Alexander and Elías teach how to get the most out of the ingredients, step by step and precise tips. Watching their videos made with a homemade and at the same time professional spirit, you feel confident that you are able to cook all the dishes and that any human being can become the MasterChef of their own kitchen.

“MY MOM DOESN’T COOK IT LIKE THIS”

The work begins between 9 and 10 in the morning, when they go to the El Edén de San Borja market for the day’s purchases. They prepare the ingredients and around noon the magic begins in the recording studio set up on the terrace of their apartment or in the kitchen. The recordings usually last until 5 or 6 in the afternoon. Sometimes they record at night, but the idea is to do it in daylight. Alexander handles the editing. Other days they go out with camera in hand to a foray into a new or familiar restaurant, because the recommendations of the best menu and local dishes are also part of their proposal and because their followers demand it.

They think that an important part of their success is constantly uploading new, very short and original content to their networks. Although it’s a 24/7 job, having a lot of fun is part of their politics, an ingredient that comes through in their videos. Also, he has added to the growth of A Comer the decision to constantly interact with his followers: “We give recommendations for products, restaurants, we answer everything they ask us,” Alexander tells us. “Part of the success is that we dedicate a lot of work to the kitchen, to the audiovisual and to the communication we have with the fans.”

And just as they love and appreciate their recipes, there are also the inevitable ‘haters’ and harmful comments. How do they cope?: “We are already hardened. At the beginning it did affect us quite a bit, especially when they said ‘my mom doesn’t do it that way’ or ‘your food is crap’. What we always do is ask politely why he didn’t like the recipe,” says Alexander Quesquén. They have also received sexist comments, although they point out that they are becoming less frequent.

THE DREAM OF YOUR OWN PRESCRIPTION

From the success in social networks they went on to fulfill the dream of their own recipe book. Last year, the book “¡A Comer!” came out of the oven. (Hypermarket Tottus, 2021) with the 80 most popular and acclaimed recipes by the public. Here are the most viewed videos, recipes selected by their own followers through surveys and the guest menu with the recipes of 11 chefs such as Don Fernando and his rice with pork (one of the most popular videos) or the corn cake and the paw with everything by Martha Palacios.

“It is not the classic book of starters, main course and dessert”, explains Elías Valdez, who was in charge of curating the recipes. The book is intended to be a help guide to solve the classic question of the day: “What will I cook today?”. So, right now you could start preparing a fish marinade, chicken with beer, anticuchos or fried trout with an appetizer of octopus with chimichurri or special fried wontons. If the cold is increasing, an aguadito or broth of mote fall like a glove. To crown the afternoon, it would be good to prepare a quinoa forklift, some butter donuts or a tres leches cake. What the body asks for. All you have to do is open the book and choose the most appetizing image.

With a friendly design and beautiful photographs, you will easily find step-by-step instructions and extremely useful tips such as how to obtain grained quinoa or a smooth and tasty pork rind. To maintain the spirit of social networks, they added some comments from their followers and the number of Likes of the recipes.

Both this printed recipe book and the one on the social networks of A Comer, Alexander, Elías and Alfredo rescue the most important ingredient for any recipe: love for what they do.

THE DATA OF TO EAT (By Alexander Quesquén)

What would you say to a person who begins to learn to cook?

You are going to fail many times, but perseverance makes you succeed in a recipe. Ask for advice from people who have more experience, it is the closest thing we have and they carry good information.

3 tips for anyone in the kitchen

1. Always have a sharp knife
2. Have prepared chicken, fish or beef broths to nourish your meals
3. Cook seasonal products. Go to the market and ask for seasonal products, fruits, vegetables and, based on that, you make your daily meals.

How to choose a good fish without running the risk of spoiling?

1. If you can buy the whole fish it is better, because they can fillet it in your presence
2. You have to press the fish and the texture has to be firm
3. The fish must smell of the sea

What is your perfect fried egg recipe?

I do it with a lot of olive oil and butter, heat the pan well and put the egg there. I like that it has toasty edges and a juicy center, I always take it out the English way. It has to be a free-range egg.

MORE DATA

• A Comer has a website where, in addition to the recipes, you will find cooking courses: https://cursos.acomer.pe/
• Its main public is in Lima followed by Trujillo, Piura and Arequipa
• His followers are between 23 and 35 years old, and there are more women than men