Product Review

Popular L.A. chef Ricardo Zarate captures the flavors and excitement of Peruvian food, from rustic stews to specialty dishes to fabulous cocktails

Lima-born Los Angeles chef and restaurateur Ricardo Zarate delivers a standout cookbook on the new "it" cuisine—the food of Peru. Zarate has been called "the godfather of Peruvian cuisine" for good reason: He perfectly captures the spirit of modern Peruvian cooking, which reflects indigenous South American foods as well as Japanese, Chinese, and European influences, but also balances that variety with an American sensibility; his most popular dishes range from classic recipes (such as ceviche and Pisco sour) to artfully crafted Peruvian-style sushi to a Peruvian burger. With 100 recipes (from appetizers to cocktails), lush color photography, and Zarate’s moving and entertaining accounts of Peru’s food traditions and his own compelling story, The Fire of Peru beautifully encapsulates the excitement Zarate brings to the American dining scene.