The history of grilled chicken: who created this favorite dish among Peruvians and how?

An idea conceived in Peru has spread around the world, thanks to its good seasoning and simple execution. From its origin, the grilled chicken has crossed borders. His story began with an enterprise, in Santa Clara, and little by little it grew and became widespread in all regions until it reached abroad.

Thus, this dish is now found in countries such as the United States, Venezuela, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Spain, Japan, China, and the United Arab Emirates, among others, thanks to Peruvian chefs who are in charge of its preparation. About Grilled Chicken Day we remember its origin and the mechanism thanks to which its production is possible.

We can say that grilled chicken had two creators: Roger Schuler (the one with the idea) and Franz Ulrich (who executed it). It was 1949 when Schuler opened the restaurant La Granja Azul, in the outdoor patio of his country home in Santa Clara. At that time, his business only had three tables and offered grilled chicken.

Demand grew rapidly – later, he served up to 3,000 people in a single day – and he realized that he needed a formula to cook several chickens at the same time. He then called his friend and compatriot, the Swiss Ulrich who was a mechanical engineer.

Contacting the mechanical engineer, Roger Schuler asked him to help him create a machine that can cook several chickens at once, as many as possible. Thus, Franz Ulrich manufactured a coal-fired oven that could work with 60 chickens, through a process that emulated the solar system (translation and rotation).

On the other hand, the exact formula of its seasoning remains a mystery. The legend of the restaurant tells that the “baby” chickens are only seasoned with salt. This is how what is now one of the most popular dishes in the Peruvian recipe book was born.

Until the 1960s, the main chicken shops were in Santa Clara and Miraflores. A key character brought changes: Heriberto Ruiz, who worked for a time as Ulrich’s assistant. In the 60’s, he decided to try making his own grilled chicken ovens from his company Ruiz Hermanos (now an industry icon).

He made some technological tweaks to the original design, finding efficiencies along the way that made the new model cheaper. With cheaper cuisine, chicken shops began to appear in more areas such as La Victoria, La Herradura, Pueblo Libre and Chucuito.

By the 80’s, chicken chains were consolidated and there was a massive explosion that popularized grilled chicken nationwide.

Since 2010, through the Ministerial Resolution, it was declared that every third Sunday of July is celebrated Grilled Chicken Day. The recognition was based on the fact that it has been “60 years in Peruvian gastronomy, managing to position itself as one of the favorite dishes in the taste of Peruvians. This is the evolution of a dish with popular roots that has come to penetrate the Peruvian palate”.

This 2023, homage will be paid to the emblematic dish next Sunday, July 16. How will you celebrate?