Panama is a cradle of culinary talent that demonstrates the marked growth of our gastronomy as a tourism product. Each creation made with passion elevates the diner’s experience, etching a memory in the visitor’s mind. Proof of this is Chef Luis Mendizabal, who discovered his passion for cooking at the age of six thanks to his mother. He later attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York and worked in various restaurants in the United States and Spain. Upon returning to Panama, he worked with Chef Fabian Migny as head chef for the opening of a restaurant before opening his first two restaurants: Cuatro and Entre Pan. Winner of Top Chef Panama 2017 and current Executive Chef of the famous Afro-Caribbean food restaurant Koböre located in Casco Antiguo shares with The Visitor – El Visitante his passion for cooking and vision of gastronomy in Panamanian tourism.
What are the differences between the cuisine of the province where you were born and the Afro-Caribbean food?
“Many. The use of spices is very different. Caribbean cuisine in general has been gaining increasing relevance worldwide, and when the concept for Koböre was being developed, that was taken into account to create a menu that revolved around this trend. If we add to that the fact that Panama itself has a distinct cuisine in its Caribbean territory, known as Afro-Panamanian, the idea fit very well with where we are. One of the things that most appeals to me about working with this type of food is the use of bold flavors and seafood”.
How Koböre restaurant differs from other restaurants offering Panamanian Afro-Caribbean cuisine, and what are its greatest strengths?
“We try to create a cuisine that, while heavily focused on Caribbean flavors, also has an original or contemporary feel. I really enjoy subtly intertwining aspects of Panamanian Creole cuisine with those Afro-Caribbean flavors, seeking to produce something that has our own identity, something that people can distinguish as uniquely Koböre”.
The restaurant you manage is located in the second most visited destination in Panama. How can gastronomy further enhance the Casco Antiguo (Old Quarter) as a tourist destination?
“I like to think it’s already a great culinary destination. Sometimes we Panamanians need to believe in ourselves more. If we compare what we find gastronomically speaking in Panama City’s Casco Antiguo with other historical sites in other countries that have developed similarly as places not only for tourism but also for entertainment, I think we have nothing to envy. Here, we find cuisine of the highest caliber. It would be difficult for anyone to make a list of the best restaurants in the city without mentioning one or more located in Casco Antiguo. Some of my favorite places to eat are here”.
What example can be taken from the work that chefs are doing that could inspire other tourism sectors in their growth and development?
“I believe that beyond collaboration and shared goals, which are important, one of the most crucial things that other sectors can learn from the work of chefs is their discipline and focus on quality: doing things well and consistently. That daily commitment to improvement, to paying attention to detail, and to maintaining high standards is what truly gives strength and growth to any sector. When everyone works with that mindset, the results become much more visible. I believe that if other sectors apply that same commitment, they can achieve equally solid growth”.
What are the three most popular dishes among diners at Koböre, and why?
“The most popular dish for many years has been our ‘Coconut Dorado,’ and I think the reason is that it combines many rich and familiar flavors, such as coconut, rice with pigeon peas, and ginger, with other less common and special ones like pixbae. All of this is accompanied by a delicious fillet of dorado, a local fish that I really enjoy. Then I could mention the otoe gnocchi with lobster in red curry, which is my personal favorite and has that spicy and aromatic seafood touch typical of Caribbean cuisine. And finally, of our desserts, the Tremisu, a mix between Tres Leches and Tiramisu, two beloved desserts that together create something even more special and are intertwined with a Panamanian coffee liqueur that we use to give it our local flavor”.
Photos courtesy: Chef Luis Mendizabal – Koböre Restaurant