For more than a century, Panama has been a meeting point for people from all over the world. This fusion brought foods and flavors that, over time, influenced the country’s cultural identity. A good reason to invite a renowned chef who was born in Venezuela and grew up in a home where his Italian parents instilled their roots in him, so they would always be present. Based in Panama for more than 17 years, Chef Roberto Stizzoli has been a key figure in Panama’s gastronomic evolution.
Founder of Casa Stizzoli, he successfully integrated traditional Italian gastronomy with local products, as well as Spanish and Arabic, keeping a creative and respectful approach to each culinary culture. Passionate about gastronomic tourism, he shares exclusively with The Visitor – El Visitante the gastronomic vision he has created in his restaurants and where the Panamanian culinary industry is headed.
Italian, Arabic, and Spanish food is very popular with diners across the country. How is Casa Stizzoli is changing the way we experience it?
“I think that, more than changing, it’s simply adding experiences. I mean, cuisine typically takes on a fusion or adapts to the place and brings back its origins; incorporating new trends from the original location. For example, our restaurant Casa Stizzoli, or the Stizzoli line, is a fairly purist Italian style, bringing new trends from Italy to Panama, because the cuisine 50 or 60 years ago isn’t the same in Italy. The same thing happens with Arabic food: people love hummus, and you start adding new things, suddenly we’re making fusions with Panamanian products. And the same with Spanish food: we’re also incorporating a lot of local products, but always keeping its essence.”
What new things are you adding to the Spanish, Arabic, and Italian food that are trending right now?
“Look, for example, in Italian food, I can tell you: about 8 or 9 years ago, pistachios and burrata were included… although neither burrata nor arugula were available here. And now everyone wants to use these two ingredients, as well as mortadella, pistachios, or speck—a smoked cold cut typical of northern Italy. I had to bring a lot of products personally, and then local suppliers started to help with all that.
The same thing happens with Spanish food. There are new things and methods. For example, right now there are some Catalan ovens that we have at Tasca la Candelaria; it’s a charcoal oven, so it’s a different type of cooking. Instead of making paellas, we make rice dishes in square trays, which are oven-baked rice dishes: a different version. We’re innovating and adding new things.
As for Arabic food, we make it a little more urban, updated, like what’s being done on the streets. from Lebanon, where they also have a touch of modernity. It’s no longer grandma’s Arabic food; it’s a little more daring, with a touch of new spices, a little spicier, or a different crunch, and you can experiment.”
Stizzoli restaurant’s roots are Italian. How can this influence be used to enhance the dining experience in Panama?
“The Italian influence is a clear example of how cultures influence each other: they come with a gastronomic idea from a place and then it adapts to the local palate, adding things from here and from other cultures that were already present. Then new generations of Italians arrived with a cuisine that has also changed, and they bring new influences that blend with what was already there. Thus, new blood is infused into the local cuisine, and that remains.
Don’t be surprised to see a Panamanian dish with burrata added because they thought it tastes great, or a pasta with a local product. For example, I made a pasta for a special event where we wanted to show a bit of Panamanian influence, and we added Asian ingredients, due to the presence of that culture here. In southern Italy, it’s customary to sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of the pasta, like Parmesan cheese, and we used crumbled mafa for that touch, with a little chorizo. tableño and other fusion ingredients.
These are dishes that the local palate appreciates because they feature familiar flavors, but also new techniques and influences. In fact, there are already good examples in the Panamanian culinary world that speak of these combinations, and how all of this is creating a unique identity.”
Do you plan to expand outside of Panama City, and what potential do you see for high-end gastronomy in the interior?
“The intention of expanding to the interior is always in our minds. We don’t have anything defined yet, but we’ve thought about it several times. I think there are places that could embrace this type of cuisine. For example, near Coronado there’s quite a bit of activity, with locals who come on weekends, tourists, foreigners… and I think a proposal like ours would be well received there. I also see potential in David, which is growing a lot, and in Santiago, where every time I visit there are more places opening. It seems like people are starting to have that curiosity to try new things, and if you explain it to them and tell them well, they can really enjoy this cuisine.”
How do you see gastronomic tourism in Panama, and what can be done to enhance its wide variety of styles brought from around the world?
“I see gastronomic tourism in Panama growing, without a doubt. The international recognition we’ve had has been important, but I think we need to continue promoting it, both from the private sector and the government. Institutions, ministries, and everyone involved in tourism should support it, because in the end, everyone benefits.
For example, I always use the hashtag #Panama on my social media so people know this is happening here, and so that when they come, they can enjoy a gastronomic experience. Panama is already generating buzz: there have been international awards for local restaurants, and that’s a sign that something is being done Right.
In the last 10 years, the culinary scene has evolved tremendously. I’ve been observing it for 17 years, but I feel this last decade has been pivotal. Many new concepts have emerged, offerings with character, with a sense of purpose, that are here to stay. There’s a lot of ethnic cuisine: Greek, Arabic, Italian, Indian, Japanese, French… and in most of these places the food is very good. People who know about gastronomy recognize this, and that’s positive for Panama. Tourists no longer come just for the beautiful destinations of this country; they also come to eat well.”
What are your three favorite dishes from your restaurant, and which Panamanian dish would you make an Italian version of, and what would it be like?
“Let’s start with favorite dishes. It’s hard to tell you what they are. Imagine, I’m one of those people who, when I make a menu, I have to like everything. If I’m not convinced by a dish, it simply isn’t on the menu.
On the Italian side, at Casa Stizzoli, I can go for the pizzas. I have three different doughs depending on the region of Italy, with different ovens and temperatures. Everything is made according to the standards of the Italian Pizza Makers Association. They are well-made, well-risen pizzas: Roman, Neapolitan, traditional… there are about 30 flavors, and I can like any of them. I also highlight the seafood pasta, which is very good.
When it comes to Spanish food, I love Galician-style octopus and sea bass cheeks in citrus butter. We also have charcoal-grilled cauliflower with romesco sauce, citrus yogurt, and candied sea bass. It’s incredible.
When it comes to Arabic dishes, I like mixed shawarma, potato wedges, and babaganoush, which is eggplant cream. And as for dishes I’d like to make with Panamanian food, I’ve always been interested in making an Italian version of a pot tamale, whether with meat or pork. Since it’s made with cornmeal, it somehow reminds me of polenta, a traditional Italian dish. I’ve been thinking about making it, but with slightly more Mediterranean ingredients from Italy.
