Juan Arbelaez is present at all levels! On the menu for this chef and entrepreneur: restaurants, books, and even television shows... A career that's enough to make your head spin. After three great collaborations (the latest: Les Tartinables) with Confiture Parisienne, Juan Arbelaez reveals the secrets of his cuisine and his career in an exclusive interview just for you!
Tell us a little about your background.
Passionate and immersed in the world of gastronomy since childhood through my mother and grandfather, I took the courage to come to France. At the age of 18, I moved to Paris and entered a cooking school: Le Cordon Bleu.
After honing my skills with the greatest chefs, I opened my first restaurant in Boulogne-Billancourt, then a second. Today, I own 14 restaurants, mainly in Paris and the Paris region.
I also just published a second cookbook. Simple, accessible, and delicious recipes.
How do you incorporate your different travels into your recipes?
I think that when you're a cook, you're completely permeable. All travel affects us. Every time I go on a trip, I bring back a spice, a technique. Encounters also shape you and teach you a lot. We're like sponges; we're constantly absorbing new cuisines and new products. Cooking is never static; it's always in motion.Who would you have liked to cook with?
I would have liked to try a four-handed performance with Francis Malmann, who is a bit of a master of fire. He is someone who has a nonchalance and at the same time incredible power.What is your essential ingredient when cooking?
For me, the essential ingredient, I'm a big fan of lime mixed with a little coriander and chili. It takes me back home. It brings me back to the smells and flavors of my childhood.
How did the idea for these four Spreadable recipes come about?
Credits: Jakobsson & Zillén
Do you have any tasting tips or recipe ideas for Spreads ?
Do you have any new projects planned?
I have Bazurto, which has just opened, which is a Colombian restaurant inspired by the Cartagena market. A festive place where life and the sense of celebration take over. I am very, very happy to be able to share a little of my country with all Parisians.Thank you Juan for taking the time to answer our questions.
We hope to have the chance to meet you in one of your restaurants!
