Sometimes people come and go, and sometimes people stay around and make things brighter and happier! We are so thrilled to have Chef Bratzo join us almost every weekend gracing us with his Peruvian grilling and chilling cuisine at The Vineyard in Escondido.
We sat down and asked Chef B a few questions about his story so we could share more about him with you:
Us: Tell us a little bit about yourself – where are you from and what made you want to be a chef?
Chef B: Born and raised in Lima, Peru’s Miraflores District. My inspiration to become a chef started at a later age while attending Colorado State University. I started missing traditional Peruvian cuisine, started cooking family recipes and inviting friends over to share a bit of my culture. That let me in deeper throughout the following 8 years in San Diego. I also worked on several restaurants and pizza places while attending school. Until one day, after working for the corporate oil industry I decided to look for a small restaurant. Luck struck on my door with Cafe Secret in Del Mar.
Us: What inspires the dishes you create?
Chef B: Mainly, the joy of sharing my Peruvian roots through food. I feel food is the universal language. I made it my purpose to share flavors from my childhood memories with everyone. Its my way of giving back to this beautiful country that gave me so many opportunities.
Us: How do the wines at Orfila help enhance the flavors of the dishes you create?
Chef B: I love the Sauvignon Blanc with the ceviches, the BDX for the meat dishes and a Pinot for the flatbread appetizers. The frozees with a splash of port are delicious too for a sunny day outside.
Us: Which Orfila wine is your favorite and why?
Chef B: BDX and the Petit Syrah are two of them, I like full bodied wines. The Sauvignon Blanc too.
Us: What are some of your favorite hobbies outside of cooking?
Chef B: Fishing, surfing, snowboarding and watching live shows.
Us: Tell us one fun fact about yourself that we might not know.
Chef B: Cafe Secret got voted best seafood restaurant by San Diego magazine on 2013, our Parihuela seafood soup dish made it to the cover. That was my biggest achievement in the restaurant world. Completely caught me by surprise!
Next time you’re at the vineyard stop by and say hi, and see what he’s got cooking! New menus are available every weekend.
