Ecuadorian Gastronomy, Inspiration and Pride: A conversation with Chef Alejandro Huertas

Who is Alejandro Huertas? How would you describe yourself professionally and personally?

Alejandro Huertas is a passionate cook who loves Ecuador with all his heart; I believe there is no better place than our country. The gastronomy, culture, and everything that encompasses the country.

As a person, I consider myself calm, casual, and I want to change the perception that people have of Ecuadorians. I believe that whoever represents the new CEO of the world should be able to drive a Ferrari, but also be able to eat in a market, be dressed super top, but also wear sandals and shorts.

I believe that being casual is not only about clothing but also a lifestyle. Sometimes we carry very heavy baggage on us, when in reality life is very short. “WE MUST LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST”.

What are the flavors that marked the different stages of your life?

Flavors are like a guiding thread in cooking. I have several flavors throughout my life; I started with a “Spicy Stage” because I have been rebellious since I was young, because I have tried not to follow the rest to avoid feeling like a sheep; in fact, I feel that it is not wrong, everyone has their way of seeing life. This spicy stage I started in school, with several careers that I didn’t finish, then I went for other careers that I didn’t finish either, and finally, I connected with gastronomy.

Then you have the “Bitter Stage” where you don’t know what to do, until you find or have needs, for example, creativity comes from the difficulties of these bitter parts of what we see as complicated. As I see it, you have to suffer to be creative. That bitter part also represents the things you think about and are not so clear because you are looking for what you imagine but cannot find until you have it in front of you, and that happened to me with gastronomy; I found a passion, an adventure because it allows you to go out, feel, and that is super cool.

Then there is the “Sweet Stage” where you already find that creativity, that passion, and you say finally I did it; here you find the affection for what you do, and I relate it to the end of the menu where people make space for dessert, for that sweet thing that makes them happy.

These flavors find an Umami; you find the whole mix of flavors that I had to go through, and I understood many things about life, and you start to laugh, cry, and this constant change is incredible.

¿How has the year 2022 been for you? What word would define this year?

This year has been full of many obstacles, but also full of goals. I am someone who feels uncomfortable when I am content, so I need to step out of my comfort zone. Creating a solid, strong team and maturing as a professional is about understanding that there are many things out there beyond the egocentrism that chefs have and understanding that we must return to our roots.

What were your steps to qualify for this world competition? How did you feel when you found out the news?

First, we participated in this world competition for two specific reasons:

For my partners and my team, I feel the need for them to be proud and know that everything is possible with hard work and effort. Professionalism does not mean filling yourself with titles but seeking excellence in what is done in Ecuador.

I want Ecuadorians to break paradigms and think that our gastronomy has much to offer and nothing to envy from other continents. The premise is that dreams come true.

How was your preparation for this world competition?

One is never ready until you really face everything we experienced in Spain. By understanding a little more about what this world competition was about, being there made us realize that it is not only a competition but also understanding what is happening on the other side of the world, knowing what is happening on a continent that is ten years ahead of us in culture, gastronomy; there you begin to truly appreciate our own.

Ecuador, being a small country compared to the rest of the world, has nothing to envy from other countries because it is a gastronomic stronghold of the world, something that our people themselves must begin to appreciate.

I am convinced that Ecuador is a very rich country and we can become great exponents not only in gastronomy.

How did you conceive the recipes for these tapas? What was the process of conceptualizing from the sketch to the plate?

Always based on the beginning of everything, which is in the countryside, not only as farmers but in the field as people who are always looking for something different. I did not want to create a traditional Ecuadorian recipe because I believe we should pay homage to grandmothers, aunts, mothers who have those recipes that are very different from each other. I did not want to centralize Ecuadorian cuisine in a single region of Ecuador; what we need in these global competitions is for people to realize that Ecuador is one. I based it on the products, on what we have learned, on the trips we have taken, on the conversations we have had, on how the product arrives, based on how we can be more local but without falling into the same old discourse.

So, the cover was inspired by the producers, the team, the creativity in each person who is part of 3500, and also in you; I could not leave out República del Cacao knowing that the best cacao is in Ecuador. Inspiration comes from investigating where the products come from.

What was the most significant moment of the competition for you and why?

When it’s your turn to present your dish and the video with which you competed starts running. The jury looks back at you, people look at you, and you feel that strong tension that you have to bring it out and it has to be perfect, and that is the moment when all the tension you experienced during those months ends. So it’s a moment much more of adrenaline for representing your country.

What was the most significant moment for you in collaborating with chefs Pachi Larrea and Rubén Arnanz?

With Pachi, first getting to know each other and knowing that someone is doing such incredible things in Spain with Ecuadorian chocolate. It was crazy because it seemed like we had known each other all our lives, both with the same ideals, seeking the same thing, transmitting the same thing, feeling as proud as anyone else in the world. Both of us admiring each other a lot and planning ideas for the next year; we want Ecuador to find out that there is someone from the country who became champion in one of the most important pastry cups in the world in Spain. Those things are incredible because they fill you with pride. And with Rubén, it was about showing him that our country is full of great people, friends, and products, that we are not only the Ecuadorian who is visiting, but we are also the Ecuadorian who has great things to show to the world. So, Ecuador is a country that inspires.

How was it for you to experience cooking collectively with 7 other Ecuadorian chefs in Spain, and what do you think of these cooperative spaces among chefs?

It was an incredible thing because it was not something planned, and I did not know any of them before. They just started calling us to help each other, and it was very meaningful to me because I traveled alone, without anyone from my team, due to visa issues, so I thanked them a lot for their support. We, Ecuadorian chefs, met again in the same country and realized that we are one. So, it was a very heartfelt issue more than anything else, so those situations fill you a lot.

What do you think Ecuadorian cuisine can contribute to gastronomy after participating in these experiences?

I return in love and with much more desire to bet on what is ours. I believe that we all seek that excellence from each of our trenches.

What has been the most important lesson for you from this journey and the experiences you have shared with other chefs in Spain?

The pride that many Ecuadorian chefs are showcasing haute cuisine with our ingredients in other countries. We can become a culinary powerhouse thanks to allies around the world, opening doors and making us stronger.

How did you feel about being accompanied by República del Cacao?

I am a loyal admirer of the brand because I have always had their support and backing. I appreciate them a lot and admire their inspiration as an allied company and friend to lend us a hand, support us. Knowing that you’re not going alone and that there is support behind you is very rewarding.

What makes you happiest about your profession?

Transmitting a culture as rich as ours through cooking, a culture that needs to be recognized by many around the world.

What advice would you give to people who want to venture into the culinary world?

Fear is the worst enemy of success. You have to take it step by step but think big. Life puts us on a path with moments and opportunities that we have to seize. Seek excellence in what you do and don’t give up. I also want to give this message to myself: love and respect the work.

We are proud to collaborate with chefs in more than 20 countries around the world, sharing their creativity and vision. Conversing with Chef Alejandro Huertas filled us with inspiration and motivates us to continue changing the world one cacao bean at a time. Learn more in the following video: LINK