I learned to cook Peru’s traditional dishes from my mother, and was an omnivore for most of my life. So, when I turned vegan I thought I’d lose my cultural identity. But after researching the foods of my ancestors, I discovered that Quechua communities in Peru’s Andes Mountains thrived on a mostly plant-based diet of quinoa, corn, potatoes, coca leaves, and wild herbs. Now, from my home in Portland, Oregon, I am on a mission to veganize Peru’s creole cuisine, and I have an advantage: I know what the original dishes taste like. I love cooking with Afro-Peruvian music playing in the kitchen because it imbues the dishes with more flavor and spice.
Testimonials
“I always really appreciate how Nico weaves history, cultural significance, and cooking how-to in his TASTE stories.”
— Matt Rodbard, TASTE
“Vera is a brilliant storyteller, driven by cultural, familial and historic connections in all that he does. Stories inform his food and his advocacy, and it’s impossible not to be affected by his passion for place.”
— Laura Borrman, Iconic San Francisco
“During his ceviche masterclass, he evokes a sense of romanticism when he shares the history of the dishes he presents. Because of his background as a mathematician, Nico is methodical and structured. His recipes have been perfected and kept simple.”
— Janice Espa, Food Sake Tokyo
“Nico is an exemplar ambassador of our Peruvian culture, its food, and who we are. I really appreciate what he does, as he is a great game changer.”
— Virgilio Martínez, Mil
Media and Press
Magazines, radio stations, and newspapers feature my stories, interviews, and classes:
- TASTE’s top 20 of 2022 included my story on the tamales of the Americas (2022)
- Joan Bailey at Tokyo’s Temple University invited to speak about Peru’s food culture (2022)
- Cook First PDX invited me to make a cooking video on Peruvian sauces (2022)
- TASTE’s top 20 of 2021 included my story on Peru’s sacred coca leaves (2021)
- TASTE published my conversation on Indigenous cuisine (2021)
- El País interviewed me about Inca Kola for “La economía de la nostalgia” (2021)
- TASTE’s top 20 of 2020 included my story on Afro-Peruvian food culture (2020)
- NPR’s KQED interviewed me about the Pisco Punch cocktail (2019)
- CNN interviewed me about the origins of the Pisco Sour cocktail (2018)
- Iconic San Francisco book mentions my Andean pop-up dinner (2018)
- NOLA Gambit newspaper interviewed me about Peru’s creole cuisine (2018)
- Food Sake Tokyo blog wrote about my ceviche cooking class (2016)
- NPR’s The Salt interviewed me about a pisco carob cocktail (2015)
- Peruvian Times newspaper mentioned my research on the pisco sour (2014)
- NPR’s KQED interviewed me about Peruvian cuisine (2013)
- Hyphen magazine on my participation at the Asian Culinary Forum (2012)
- Storycorps conversation with my mom about food and family (2011)