Cacao Talk: Culinary Identity – Challenges of Discovering and Maintaining It
At República del Cacao, we believe that conversation is one of the most powerful ingredients for sharing knowledge and experiences with our community. That's why we created Cacao Talks, a space where diverse voices intersect, dialogue, and inspiration unfold.
In this first edition of 2025, we address an essential topic for every chef, food lover, or professional searching for their own path: culinary identity.
Our boutique in La Floresta became the ideal setting for this exchange of ideas and experiences, bringing together our community with leading figures in the gastronomic industry, allied chefs, academic representatives, and other key players in the sector. To explore this topic, we invited three Ecuadorian chefs who, from different backgrounds, share a common quest: honest, technical, and deeply personal cuisine.
- Camila Medina: A passionate young pastry chef who transforms constant learning into a personal and contemporary approach. In 2023, she opened Bite Lab, a project that stands out for its technique, authenticity, and unconventional approach.
- Pachi Larrea: Ecuadorian pastry chef and chocolatier. His technique, sensitivity, and vision have led him to teach and create on five continents. In 2024, his Torta Amazonia, made with Ecuadorian chocolate from República del Cacao, was awarded the world's best.
- Quique Sempere: He has brought his cuisine and charisma to Latin America. With a global vision and a deep respect for ingredients, he connects cultures through flavors, stories, and experiences.
To open the dialogue, we proposed looking back, not only at the beginning, but also at that decisive moment when something changed: an intuition, an unexpected action, a break from the established order. That first step that marked a before and after in their culinary journey.
Their stories showed how culinary identity begins to form long before professional certainties arise. Whether it stems from an early intuition, an undefined life decision, or a constant search to express something unique, the three chefs agreed that this first step stems from an honest and personal impulse, rather than a clear strategy.
As the conversation progressed, we delved deeper into the challenges of building an authentic culinary identity. They discussed the risks, mistakes, and doubts that marked their professional evolution. They agreed that intuition, courage, and a search for meaning have been fundamental tools in making difficult but transformative decisions.
From financial losses to inserting themselves into demanding work environments, they trusted an idea, sometimes still vague, but deeply felt. Their journeys demonstrate that action often precedes clarity, and that identity is revealed along the way, not before.
One of the most powerful points of the discussion was the challenge of maintaining that identity while the world and industry are constantly changing. They spoke to us about their non-negotiables: values, principles, and approaches they are unwilling to compromise, even when faced with new cultures, markets, or proposals.
For them, the key is to evolve without diluting the essence, to maintain an authentic vision that endures over time, beyond the demands of adapting to the environment. To remain true to themselves, without sacrificing excellence.
This conversation revealed that culinary identity is a journey filled with learning, decisions, and passion, a living process reflected in every dish and every personal story.
The day concluded with a networking and conversation space, where attendees shared impressions, exchanged ideas, and delved deeper into the stories the chefs had shared. It was an intimate and enriching conclusion to a morning of collective inspiration.