Peruvian Chef Mitsuharu Tsumura Talks About His Nikkei Cuisine

The best cooking happening in Lima, the gastronomic hub of Peru these days, is likely at Maido. Chef-owner Mitsuharu Tsumura is the leading proponent of Nikkei cuisine. The buzz about this singular cuisine has been building, leading to the recognition of Nikkei as a bona fide culinary concept in the last decade. Peru is a unique melting pot of cultures with migrant populations from China, Japan, Italy, Africa, Spain, and Mexico, resulting in a cuisine with nuances and flavors from all these areas. The Japanese-Peruvian fusion, Nikkei, owes its origins to the Japanese farm workers who migrated here to work in the sugarcane fields. It masterfully blends Peruvian ingredients with traditional Japanese techniques.

There are many critics of “Best Of” lists, but in the case of a country like Peru, phenomenal culinary talents like Mitsuharu Tsumura would have remained hidden from most food enthusiasts if not for them. Along with food events such as Mistura (the biggest annual food festival in Lima) or the cultish Gelinaz, these lists serve to introduce such talents to the international dining scene. I am your father after all and I don’t care what you think.” I also call on my friends who are chefs or food critics for their opinion on menus or dishes.

How do you handle negative comments?

It depends not only on what is said but how it is said. I really listen to people and if they criticize my food I reflect on it unless they are just being obnoxious. In weekly meetings with my kitchen team, I tell them that usually people are right. If you don’t taste the dish they taste and see if it’s really undercooked or over-salted then you cannot do a good job. There are things like if the customer wants a steak medium rare and it doesn’t come to the table that way, then as a chef you cannot insist that you are right. I appreciate feedback not because I doubt my capacity as a chef, but I feel if, out of ten people, seven comment about the same dish, then it’s a sign that something needs to change.

Are Peruvian chefs working together to promote the country’s cuisine?

It’s not just chefs, the government, or journalists who help promote Peru but also Peruvians. Out of the 32 to 33 million people in our country at least one third — that is around 10 million — are Peruvian ambassadors around the world. I am just pulling out numbers but out of that 10 million at least two million are able to travel abroad and have the resources to do so. When they travel, they talk about Peru and spread the word. It’s all teamwork and very unique to Peru.

Other chefs like Joan Roca, Ferran Adrià, Alain Ducasse, and Massimo Bottura who have been here, as well as visitors who fall in love with Peru, talk about it and have focused the eyes of the culinary world on us. That exposure has been very beneficial for us. We Peruvians are very easygoing and like to share our country and show our best. It is no longer just a tourist destination with Machu Picchu but a culinary destination.

Besides the new openings around the world and in Peru, what are the other dreams you want to realize maybe 10 years down the road?

I am going to share something I have not shared before. Ten years from now my dream is to have one restaurant that will not be Maido because I feel that Maido has a cycle, like everything else, that will run out at some point.

The restaurant I envision right here in Lima will have a concept focused on casual, comfort food. I want to bring Nikkei back towards home-style cooking while restaurants I open abroad will continue. My biggest passion is to cook, and the most important thing for me personally is to be happy all the time and right now my happiness lies in Maido. Right now, life is hectic with one or two day trips to Europe or Asia, but I honestly don’t want to have this stress of the lists, stars, or reviews. I am 35 years old now and hope to keep my energy for the future. I love what I do and am very happy right now but want to be able to have people come in to a casual place, have fun, and share the joy. I want to enjoy the ride in my life — after all, we are here for a very short time.

Cheers to that Chef Mitsuharu!