When we talk about Panamanian gastronomy that goes beyond a local recipe, which includes everything from the products to the decoration and details that create a unique experience, we must speak of Chef Hernan Riesen.
A Local Idea Born Abroad
When Chef Hernan studied Culinary Arts in Toronto (Canada), he realized that the local and its origin stood out in gastronomy. Hence the idea of creating a concept where everything is locally sourced, with ingredients brought from Panamanian farms of the highest quality and always fresh. From the cattle that give the meat, the vegetables to the milk and the cheeses, all made by Panamanian hands.
New Way to Enjoy Panamanian Food
His restaurant, which opened in 2013onthe ground floor of the family residence, introduced a concept somewhat ahead of its time since the Panamanian diner was not used to eating Panamanian food outside their home, the classic inn or at a special event. However, the continued effort opened the door to good comments that reached the ears of more people. Which began to generate an interest in looking for a totally Panamanian gastronomic experience.
However, his love for Panamanian ingredients was born during the 6 months prior to opening the restaurant where he was able to tour markets, as well as the interior of the country, and meet new producers and everything they were producing. There he began to fall in love with the local product, the stews, the achiote, the cultural influences that we have had such as Afro-Antillean food, the cuisine of the indigenous people, what is made in central provinces and in Panama City.
History Through Our Gastronomy
Chef Hernan thinks that it is necessary to investigate our history, since there are many culinary recipes that can be rescued. Either indigenous recipes that were lost by the Spanish conquest, or the Afro-Antillean in the times of the trans-systemic railroad. It is discovering Panamanian history through dishes that evoke feelings of those times.
Learning During the Pandemic
When the pandemic hits, the service industry stopped, but not Chef Hernan, who took advantage of that pause to do an internship at a restaurant that focused on grilled food in a small town in Belgium and where he was able to learn new techniques. .
However, there is a lesson that Chef Hernan, learned during the pandemic, and that was to give himself the opportunity to create the time to live moments with other people without so much pressure, living in the present. For this reason, their restaurant now receives fewer people per night, allowing them to focus more on the customer and the details that make the experience unforgettable.
Family Support is Key to Success
By having the restaurant on the ground floor of the family residence in El Cangrejo, for Chef Hernan the family is the cornerstone in the success of the restaurant and its culinary creations. Chef Hernan says that at first, his mother came from work and helped in the restaurant, and today she is more in charge of serving the diners and coordinating the beverage program. For him, it is more than a restaurant, it is his home, the only place where he has lived, has created close relationships with friends and neighbors. He is also very grateful to his uncle and a first cousin who always help him bring activities and new diners to the restaurant.
Experiment to Innovate
Since 2019 they have a laboratory on the top floor of the restaurant where research and development lead the Chef and other experts to test new dishes and recipes. After winning Top Chef in 2016, Chef Hernan acquired some Roto Vapores and machines that infuse by sound waves. Acquisitions that were the result of a course in ferments where he met Sandor Katz, a fermentation guru worldwide and that in 2019 Chef Hernan invites him to teach a course in this specialty, helping them to polish the technique. Today, unique flavors are developed that allow you to create very personal recipes, where you can also create fermented mango, uvitas, borojo, or whatever fruit you want.
Food Safety, a Plan for the Future
One of the projects that this innovative Chef has been working on is through the Fundacion Rescate de Alimentos Panama, where they are responsible for acquiring all the products that can no longer be sold to cook and distribute food to people who need it. Based on this work, Chef Hernan wishes to work on the food security of the Panamanian population. They are already working on that future, by signing with the ITSE (Specialized Higher Technical Institute) an agreement to use their kitchens and prepare food. In this way, we can reach many more people who require healthy and balanced meals, as well as reduce food waste, since today 60% of what is produced ends up in the garbage.
Chef’s Favorite Dishes
The favorite dishes of Chef Hernan to cook in his restaurant are the Churros de Yuca, the Lengua, the Ron Abuelo ice cream, guachos or preparations based on honeyed rice with black or red rice from the regions with enough Creole “sofrito” and any vegetable from the farm mother earth roasted in a wood oven.
However, the Chef shares his simple taste for Panamanian Creole food: “torrejitas” with suckling pig and pressed white cheese, fried freshly ground corn tortilla, stewed meat with macaroni, macaroni with chicken stewed and fried, octopus with coconut and heavy doe nance as one of his favorite desserts.
Address: El Cangrejo, Calle Hercilia Lamela, #16.
Phone:264-0473.
E-Mail: info@riesenrestaurante.com
Instagram: @riesenpanama
Photos courtesy: Riesen Restaurant.
