The Fire Of Peru At Rosalin

Los Angeles first fell in love with Ricardo Zarate, the humble South American chef from Lima, Peru, when he was occupying a tiny stall at the Mercado la Paloma, called Mo-Chica, near the garment district downtown.

- Carole Dixon

He moved up quickly to open a larger version of his first eatery (where Ray Garcia’s B.S. Taqueria currently resides) and the ambitious Picca project on Pico (now closed) with a stunningly modern design serving cantina-style causas (think sushi with potato), tapas and pisco cocktails from his homeland that quickly dubbed him “the Godfather of Peruvian cuisine.”

Then everything went quiet for a minute, but Zarate was not taking a break. “I was traveling a lot and spending more quality time with my family and my kids,” he says. “During that time, I had also just released my cookbook, Fire of Peru, so I was working really hard on that campaign as well.” The chef also hit the road back to Peru for a little recharging and inspiration, while also visiting Columbia, Japan, Taiwan and Europe. “Any time I travel, I look for inspiration, for new produce, new techniques that I can use.”

And use them he did. Early this year, he opened the fast-casual concept Mamacita (as a result of a temporary test kitchen put in place to prep for his new restaurant in WeHo) in the Hollywood & Highland complex. While not an obvious location, the food is simple and satisfying with BBQ wraps, rice bowls and ceviche. “I don’t think I have ever felt the need to step away from cooking. It’s my passion. It’s what I love to do. I have literally been cooking as long as I can remember, since I was about 8 years old. For me, it’s a way to relax,” says the chef.