James Berckemeyer: the chef who sells 1,500 flipped creams a month and dreams of growing his gastronomic empire

With projects on hold, a team to deliver answers to, a little daughter and another on the way, James took a radical turn. He opted for an area in which he had not believed before—delivery—and found that, despite disagreements, life always surprises when it changes route. Cosme’s strategy (its flagship restaurant of comfort food with a chic touch; modern, but close) was such a resounding success that today its line of sauces, breads and other products are sold in Wong. That, without mentioning the 1,500 flipped creams that appear both in Rappi and in the restaurant, a dessert that has already become a trademark and for which it is even recognized abroad. Alado in 2022, and the delivery food experience also brought Panguche, its ‘gourmet’ sandwich format to eat at home. Without planning it, James Berckemeyer had a new beginning. We find it at that point today.

—You belong to a pioneering generation, that of the gastronomic boom of the mid-2000s. At that time, however, there was a big age difference between you. In fact, you were just getting started.

It’s true, but I already knew several of them, and although some were quite older than me, in the end we were all working for the same thing. In those years the group was assembled—I think—with people who could contribute and set an example, which was what was needed. Now we have young talents who work very hard, such as Francesca Ferreyros, Jorge Muñoz, Rodrigo Alzamora…

—What do you think is your role as a cook today?

Continue working honestly, use the products we have. Also guide the kids who are just starting out a little, and ground them. We have a generation Z who dates them and they don’t come, they don’t come back. When someone tells me that they want to be a chef, I tell them to work for two or three months first. At the end of the day, this is a super-sacrificing race, and today it is increasingly complicated. It’s not like before.

—Your two main restaurants (Cosme and Alado) are practically across the street from each other, in San Isidro. It must be an advantage, but also a great challenge. How do you differentiate them, and how does the public differentiate them?

Cosme is a ‘comfort food’ restaurant, homemade food, people who feel that this or that dish reminds them of someone. But all served with technique, in my style. Alado is a contemporary kitchen where the menu revolves around the fire or embers. You can find cuts of meat, rice, fish, pasta. Almost 100% of the letter has to do with fire in some way. We have just introduced new dishes [entre ellos un asado de tira que tiene una cocción de 24 horas] that have us very excited.

—You have a very fanatical, very loyal clientele. It doesn’t happen to all cooks. There are people who go for lunch or dinner two or three times a week, maybe more. How do you achieve it?

I think it’s because deep down it is a good home kitchen, people feel comfortable here.

—Does it bother you that they think you’re a pituco cook? That you could have had it easy?

I never had it easy, due to family issues and more things. My dad always taught me to work. When he was at university—he was studying Administration—I told him I wanted to change to Gastronomy and he told me that he wouldn’t pay for another degree if I wasn’t sure, so I went to work. By the age of 20 I was already in the kitchen. But this world is not what people think, which is a shambles. I have suffered it, I am living it day by day.

—Today many children dream of being a famous chef, but when you were a child there was no such notion, much less great local references. What led you to choose this career?

I got into the kitchen since I was little. In my house they never prevented me from doing so, nor was there that issue that men should not come in to cook, as some people thought then. At 12, 13 years old I made profiteroles to sell to my parents’ friends [recita la receta de memoria]. It took me a little longer to be clear that I would dedicate myself to this, until one day I knew.

—As for personal matters, you have always been low profile. You got married at 38, you don’t show your daughters much on social media. Perhaps your most media moment was when you went out with Congresswoman Luciana León. You went from appearing on cooking shows to Magaly’s magazine.

Yes it’s correct. But in reality I have always taken care of myself, not only but also of the people who may have dated me. [La exposición] It was something I always managed internally. People sometimes end up losing focus on what is important. I am a cook, I am not an actor or anything similar. I know how to cook and I don’t want people to see me as the blonde, model. No.

—Reviewing some articles published about you at the beginning of your career, many headlines played precisely with that. “Blonde weakness,” says someone [no en esta revista]. Did that cause you noise, annoyance?

I didn’t like it or dislike it. My grandfather once told me: “Worry about the day they don’t talk about you.” They will always say something, good or bad. I am not a gold coin for everyone to like. The only thing I didn’t want was for them to be things that could make my family uncomfortable. I focused on doing my job well.

—And you have achieved it. Cosme is on the list of the best restaurants in Latin America. Is Alado your bet for the world’s 50 Best?

I am not fighting with the guide or with the awards. I think they are a motivation for the team and they will always be welcome. But for me the best reward today is having a full restaurant, being able to pay the bills at the end of the month, the salaries of my team. I realized that during the pandemic. I had a different idea.

—Was your idea to win? Reach the top of the rankings?

Yes, having that 50 Best, a recognition. But the pandemic taught me that many award-winning restaurants didn’t have orders, because it was impossible. There were also people who only worked to get on lists and guides, and for me things are not like that.

—The pandemic today seems to be far away in the memories of many, but in your case it really marked a before and after. Would you say it changed you forever?

Yes, it is a very strong change. My eldest daughter was born in 2020. She was infected with Covid two months after birth because of me, because I had no choice but to be here, in the restaurant, working whatever it was. For me it was setting an example. I couldn’t ask my workers to come and I couldn’t. Alado was closed for almost two years until I was able to open it. I kept people and it helped me carry out the ‘dark kitchen’ of sandwiches that we call Pánguche, in addition to entering the ‘retail’ with my sauces, vinaigrettes, breads, cuts of meat. My driving force was restaurants, but my motivation was my two daughters.

—Curiously, you had never delivered; You were almost against it. Were you surprised at yourself at that moment?

I was not ready for the delivery, it has never been my faithful friend to be honest. But he is here to stay. In the end what happened is that many people met us for the first time thanks to that. Unintentionally, we were one of the first to launch, and in the end today we have an entire clientele that was born on those platforms. Cosme and Pánguche are in Rappi. The flipped cream, which so many know, is my best-selling dish to date. Before we sold 180 portions and today there are 1,500, between delivery and the restaurant. It’s crazy.

—What remains pending for you in terms of gastronomy?

I would like to open three or four more stores in Pánguche. It is a powerful brand of ‘gourmet’ sandwiches, with sourdough bread, a good product. It could grow and get stronger. I think that delivery alone does not work, having only a ‘dark kitchen’. For me everything is tied up when you have a street service location, even if it is small. I would also like to go abroad, consolidate something abroad. I was in Chile recently and for the first time I was recognized by the names of the restaurants. “Hey, are you the one from Cosme? Are you the one from Alado? They also told me: “Are you the one with the famous upside-down cream?” It made me laugh because it’s something that had never happened to me.

—In the end, the turned cream has become your symbol. Does it bother you that people are left with just that?

No, obviously not! It is a cream that is very well made, it makes us very proud that they ask for it. I think that if you are going to have a classic dish like this, it has to be perfect. People have understood it, they have known how to value it, because it is not cheap. //