He is recognized as one of the jurors of `Top Chef´ TV show. His contribution to gastronomy has transcended our country’s borders, has being distinguished as one of the best chefs in Latin America, he also won the Best in the World Culinary Award for his book “T’ACH Panamanian Native Cuisine”,that highlights our culinary heritage, among other merits.
Our Special Guest represents what is called the “New Panamanian Kitchen”, a culinary movement that invites chefs, mixologists and brewers to be creative and elevate Panama inside and outside the country.
Either from its catering business under his name in capital city, or from the kitchen at Panamonte, the hotel he owns in Boquete Chiriquí, Chefs Collins spices tourism with first-class service as an entrée, rewarding guests until the last bite .
How do you see our current gastronomic offer before the palate of foreign and local tourists?
“Fortunately, both gastronomy professionals and diners have joined the New Panamanian Kitchen movement. A reinterpretation of our traditional cuisine, adapting it to new kitchen and plating trends. This way, they become stars of the best tables. We must also add the mixologists, they rescued Panamanian historical drinks and make new mixtures inspired by local ingredients. Flavors are also transferred to craft beers and chocolates. We are on the right track, but we have to keep working because gastronomy has to be in continuous evolution”.
What relevance does the gastronomic experience have for the visitor?
“The experience of gastronomy starts from the cultural entity of a country. It is as relevant for the visitor as knowing the Canal, Casco Viejo or Panama La Vieja ”.
What advice would you give hotel and restaurant owners to optimize your culinary proposal?
“As a professional in the field, I believe that restaurants should be more open to include Panamanian flavors. It is common for us to find breakfasts with international menus. I encourage all to include Panamanian breakfast in order to bring our gastronomy to visitors.”
His book T’ACH won one of the most important awards in culinary literature. How does this impact the impression of foreigners?
“The reception of T’ACH was a great success inside and outside our borders. We were surprised by the amount of copies that have been distributed outside the country and how people have received it with astonishment when they learn about the evolution of our cuisine, starting from the original ones until we reach those dishes that we enjoy today as much as tamales, sancocho, changa … All with Panamanian identity.
What do you suggest to the culinary industry to continue raising the country brand as a gastronomic reference?
“One of the points where we cannot stop working is in customer service. We must also continue promoting Panamanian cuisine in its traditional or contemporary way. Well, not only is our culture known, it also drives certain sectors of the local economy. Professionals must learn our traditional cuisine in order to reinterpret dishes or invent new ones based on our culinary history and flavors.”
To cook a dish inspired by Panama before an international jury, what ingredients would you use and why?
“I would cook a corn-based dish, which is an ingredient that fascinates me. That together with my special relationship with Chiriquí, I could say that it would be a New Corn Serén… At the same time I would be thinking about cooking the “El Tenderete” dish included in `T’ACH II Panamanian Contemporary Cuisine´. That is a tribute to the killings that are made inside, where the meats are appraised and sunny to smoke on the stove for hours.
”How can you take advantage of the new wave of chefs to strengthen the country’s brand?
“Gastronomy is indisputably one of our tourist attractions. That, together with the talent of chefs who represent us abroad, gives us greater international projection”.
