On the roof of Ama.zo, Enrique Paredes scattered birds, bees, herbs and PANC
“Cooking with freedom”. Enrique Paredes’ tattoo has always reflected his journey: from a child who devoured the Gourmet channel in Peru, he ate vegetables, seaweed, quinoa and poultry from the backyard and from a teenager who attended the Istituto Gastronomico D’Gallia to the chef of the Ama .zo itself, in Brazil.
It also reflects his desire for creative and inevitably seasonal cuisine. In these times, between the need for seasonal ingredients and autonomy, in the deep center of the capital, Enrique not only maintains his first restaurant, but now has an urban vegetable garden.
On the slab above the kitchen of the historic building on the Champs-Elysées, he planted coriander, lettuce, cabbage, parsley, mint, many PANC (unconventional food plants) and edible flowers. Furthermore: he brought together ten chickens, three ducks and two turkeys to have a variety of free-range eggs and also introduced three boxes of honey bees.
“We still don’t have enough for the entire volume of ingredients we use in the restaurant, but I will increase production,” says the Peruvian. In fact, he doesn’t just want to expand his beds: “Since the space is large enough, I will also invite my chef friends to plant their products.”
Although he learned to sow and harvest from his grandparents, Enrique confesses that, also due to the numerous times he travels to his hometown to take care of his other activities (Indigo and Ambar in Arequipa), he is “forced” to turn to Edgard, the caretaker of the property.
To further the farmer-chef’s sadness, Peruvian herbs such as huacatay and muña did not thrive in the Brazilian climate. On the other hand, new experiments continue apace.
For now, ingredients from his farm can be tasted in dishes such as pastel de choclo with garden salad (R$ 79), ceviche with cocoa, lemon ants and purple clover (R$ 95) and classic ceviche with coriander wild (R$ 82).
Ama.zo
R. dos Guaianazes, 1149, Campos ElÃseos. Tuesday, from 12:00 to 15:30; Wednesday to Friday, from 12pm to 3.30pm and from 7pm to 10pm; Saturday, from 12pm to 4.30pm and from 7pm to 10pm; Sun., from 12:00 to 18:00. Tel: (11) 99560-4321
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
