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, which is why we develop interviews where we can present gastronomic projects that inspire our community.
This time, we have joined forces with Juan Carlos Castillo and his interview program “Quién es Quién” (Who's Who), where renowned chefs from Ecuador will be featured each week, along with their stories, creations, training, and inspirations. This week, we present Gerardo Villacreces, an entrepreneur, environmentalist, and founder of the rural restaurant Ukllana.
Gerardo Villacreces graduated with a Doctorate in Jurisprudence from the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, and from the beginning of his career, he has dedicated his life to also developing as an entrepreneur. He was recognized as one of the 100 Most Respected Business Leaders in Ecuador in 2014 and is part of the Entrepreneurs Organization (EO), alongside other distinguished international businessmen. Thus, Ukllana was born with this same entrepreneurial spirit.
The essence of the restaurant in Gerardo's words is “faith in his country.” During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the gastronomic market was one of the hardest hit, and many local restaurants closed their doors. It was almost unthinkable that new gastronomic ventures would emerge during that time; however, Ukllana did. After halting construction due to quarantine, Gerardo decided to restart this project in April 2020, ensuring all biosecurity measures were in place, and bringing hope and work to many amidst the 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 a lack of employment. Additionally, the project was completed without any infections, thanks to which Gerardo assures that “everything was done with love, faith, and gratitude to God and life.
Ukllana is a unique space, which is reflected from its infrastructure to its menu, developed by renowned chef Alejandra Espinoza. Its ample spaces and panoramic view of some of our most famous mountains such as Cotopaxi, Cayambe, Antisana, Pasochoa, and Illinizas, make it a safe place that helps its clients escape the routine, even though it is close to the city.
Their gastronomic proposal is based on being the first restaurant to offer “mountain comfort food” by the roadside, with dishes such as: altura tigrillo, sandwiches, empanadas, yuca bread, corn locro, tomato soup, chicken pesto, avocado quesadillas, desserts, and much more.
Additionally, they specialize in providing personalized attention to each client. For example, if someone wanted to try breakfast in the afternoon or evening instead of the morning, they can do so at Ukllana. Another important aspect is their open kitchen, where customers can watch their dishes being prepared while they wait, which instills confidence in the ingredients and chefs.
Ukllana in Quechua means “to embrace,” a concept that was undervalued before the times we are currently in, and which is now re-emerging 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: