Interview with Gerardo Villacreces, Entrepreneur and Founder of Ukllana: Mountain Comfort Food
We believe in the talent, creativity and resilience of our chefs and allies, so we develop interviews where we can present gastronomic projects that inspire our community.
In this opportunity we have teamed up with Juan Carlos Castillo, and his interview program "Who's Who", where every week we will present renowned chefs of Ecuador, their history, creations, training and inspirations. This week we present Gerardo Villacreces, entrepreneur, environmentalist and founder of the rural restaurant Ukllana.
Gerardo Villacreces graduated with a doctorate in Jurisprudence from Universidad San Francisco de Quito and since the beginning of his career has dedicated his life to developing himself as an entrepreneur. He was recognized within the 100 Most Respected Business Leaders of Ecuador in 2014, and is part of the Entrepreneurs Organization (EO), along with other outstanding international entrepreneurs. Thus Ukllana was born, with this same entrepreneurial character.
The essence of the restaurant, in Gerardo's words, is "faith in his country". During the beginning of the COVID19 pandemic, the gastronomic market was one of the most affected, many local restaurants closed their doors, so it was almost impossible to think that new gastronomic proposals would emerge during that time, however, Ukllana did. After stopping its construction due to the quarantine, Gerardo decided to restart this project in April 2020, making sure to have all the biosecurity measures in place, and bringing hope and work to many in the midst of adversity.
The construction of Ukllana provided work for 25 people from the Uyumbicho sector during the first months of the pandemic, when the common denominator was the lack of employment. In addition, the project was completed without any contagion, thanks to which Gerardo assures that "everything was done with love, faith, gratitude to God and to life".
Ukllana is a unique space, which is reflected from its infrastructure to its menu, developed by the renowned chef Alejandra Espinoza. Its ample spaces and panoramic views of some of our most famous mountains such as Cotopaxi, Cayambe, Antisana, Pasochoa and Illinizas, make it a safe place that helps its customers to get out of the routine even being close to the city.
Its gastronomic proposal is based on being the first restaurant to offer mountain comfort food on the edge of the road, with dishes such as: tigrillo de altura, sandwiches, empanadas, yucca bread, locro de choclo, tomato soup, pesto with chicken, avocado quesadillas, desserts and much more.
Additionally, they specialize in providing personalized attention to each customer, for example, if someone would like to try a breakfast in the afternoon or evening and not in the morning, at Ukllana they can do so. Another important aspect is their open kitchen, where consumers can see how their dishes are prepared while they wait for them, this provides confidence in the ingredients and chefs.
Ukllana in Quichua means "to embrace", a concept that was undervalued before the times in which we find ourselves today, and that now re-emerges through a space of entrepreneurship, faith, trust and love for our country and its gastronomy. Learn more in the following interview with Juan Carlos Castillo:
CANADA
Canada consolidated its position this year as a key market in República del Cacao's international expansion, with the official launch of the brand in Montreal and Toronto, two cities renowned for their diverse gastronomic scene and high professional standards.
These events were led by Andrea López, our corporate chef at República del Cacao, who spearheaded the brand presentation, accompanied by chef Javier Guillén. Together, they shared with customers and potential customers a direct approach to our brand's culinary philosophy and the essence of Latin American chocolate.
One of the highlights of this visit was the creation of a dessert buffet, designed and executed by Andrea as a demonstration of the technical potential, versatility, and functionality of chocolate in professional applications. The proposal included chocolates with different fillings, mini desserts with multiple textures, petit fours, mini cookies, and mini cakes, developed with a conscious gastronomy approach, with less sugar, less fat, and a focus on highlighting the unique notes of each cocoa origin.
The activations took place in high-end gastronomic venues. In Montreal, preparations were carried out in the Sofitel's pastry shop, alongside its kitchen team. In Toronto, the work was carried out with the support of the Four Seasons team, creating a professional environment that allowed for in-depth exploration of the creative and technical potential of the products.
Beyond culinary demonstrations, these meetings allowed us to deepen our dialogue with the Canadian gastronomic community, understand market needs, and strengthen relationships in a country that particularly values the triple social, environmental, and economic impact.