Image: Ricardo Zarate
On April 2, haute Peruvian-inspired restaurant Paichẽ will open its doors to the public. Run by Chef Ricardo Zarate and his business partner Stephane Bombet, the new restaurant will feature Peruvian cuisine with a “heavy Amazonian influence.”
According to LA Eater, Zarate’s restaurant is “named after Paichẽ, prehistoric Amazonian fish that was rescued from extinction by the Peruvian people.” The menu will consist of a wide selection of fish selections, including Paichẽ Lettuce Wrap, Tiradito (Peruvian sashimi), Paichẽ Kama and a stew called Seco de Paichẽ. Additional Amazonian ingredients will also be used throughout the menu, including Amazonian sacha inchi oil. LA Eater reports that the menu will “follow the small plate format, izakaya in style, alongside Latin wines/spirits and Japanese sake/beer.
DesignARC designed the restaurant’s interior in collaboration with Zarate and Bombet. Following an “ocean theme,” there will be varied shades of blue, an open kitchen, live lobster tank and retractable glass doors opening to a 42-seat patio.
If you simply cannot wait until April 2 to try this new restaurant, Paichẽ is offering diners a chance to experience the menu before the official opening by entering an email “lottery” for an early taste on March 29.
Zarate, who’s childhood home is Lima, Peru, is one of 13 siblings who were al expected to help in preparing the family meals, according to his website. When he was 17, he knew he wanted to combine his passion for cooking with his love of history and was accepted into the city’s top private culinary school, the Institute of the Americas. After receiving his three-year certificate, Zarate moved to London, where he held various positions with top restaurants and hotels for 12 years. He was subsequently offered a job with The Millennium Hotel Group in Los Angeles in 2003 and, wanting to see more of the world, he jumped at the opportunity.
Zarate opened Mo-Chica in the summer of 2009 in downtown Los Angeles, a restaurant that was later voted as the 4th Best Restaurant in Los Angeles by Los Angeles Magazine. As a chef, Zarate received a 27 rating by Zagat in 2001, making him one of the top chefs in the city.
Like Haute Living Los Angeles? Join our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter @HauteLivingLA. Want Haute Living Los Angeles delivered to your inbox once a week? Sign up for our newsletter.
