I have enormous respect for all of the people who help make the actual pages of a book happen. I didn’t realize how difficult and time-consuming making a cookbook can be. (I owe each of you a really, really good dinner.) First, to the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt team in New York and Boston, for dedicating so much time of your time to this project: publisher Natalie Chapman, art director Melissa Lotfy, production editor Jamie Selzer, freelance designer Laura Palese (the book’s design is amazing), copy editor Ivy McFadden, Brad Parsons on the marketing team, and especially editors Linda Ingroia and Stephanie Fletcher. Linda, thank you for making sure I met my deadlines (or got close enough?), your editing eye, advice, and especially, your never-ending trust in me.
A big thank-you is also in order for my agent, Cait Hoyt at CAA, who was always so confident and supportive of this project, along with Lisa Shotland for believing in me.
And then there is Jenn Garbee, my coauthor. I don’t even know how to thank you for so many months of dedicated work. You helped me figure out what I wanted to say when I couldn’t describe it (and I corrected your Spanish!), you researched Peruvian food and the history of my country like you were writing a university thesis, and you spent countless hours testing recipes and talking through the content with me—you made our book the best it could be. Even more than all of that, I’ve never met anyone so committed to a project that isn’t truly her own. I have immense respetofor you that I hope is mutual, and I have gained a true friend.
When I look back, I am equally amazed at how many people dedicated themselves to making the photographs happen in this book. Ed Anderson, your images speak for themselves. You produced so many increíble photographs that I still get excited looking through them—and we still got to enjoy a few piscos in Peru, right? Los Angeles food stylist Valerie Aikman-Smith, you are such a pro, and we couldn’t have made so many dishes without our set assistants, Sandra Cordero and Alex Galan.
The Peru photo opportunities never would have happened without the generosity of so many people. Thanks to my brother Marcos, we were able to navigate from one corner of Peru to another on our five-day photography trek in our “cozy” van (Jenn sends a hug, too), and Hector Arevalo, you were so patient to drive us all over the map. Isaac Gherson and Eddy Anderson of Amazone, a fish farm specializing in paiche, an ancient Peruvian fish, your hospitality was contagious (and Isaac, muchas gracias for sharing your jungle mosquito repellant). Seeing firsthand a sustainable project that helps so many local people made me very proud of my home country. Johnny Schuler, the master distiller at Pisco Portón, you opened my eyes to new tastes and styles of pisco. Publicist Ursula Vega Benavides, you are a woman who knows how to get things done, and Susana de la Puente of Lima’s Hotel B, you have incredible taste. Ricardo Romero of the Peruvian Trade Commission, I am always inspired by the sophisticated ways that you promote Peru. If there were more people like you, our country would only benefit. Photojournalist Josip Curich, thank you for entertaining all of the Americans (myself included) and being our guide to all that is new, and fortunately still old, in Lima. I will always remember the anticucho vendor singing to us in what would become one of my favorite pictures in the book.
I also must send a big thank-you to the people who have made my recipes a reality every single day. This book would not have been possible without the chefs, line cooks, dishwashers, waitstaff, managers, and everyone else who has worked at my restaurants in the past, present, and future. A special thanks to the chefs who put in hours of their own kitchen time to keep this project moving along: Richie Lopez, Bryan Huskey, Tomás Mendez, Alex Carasco, Rudy Lopez, and anyone else I may be inadvertently forgetting, and for their stellar cocktails and pastry, Deysi Alvarez and Debbie Renteria. Alissa Kotick, thank you for keeping me organized, and especially Lauren Moreno, for truly “making things happen,” as I like to say (and making sure that I showed up to work on the book on time). I can’t wait to hear about all of your own dreams becoming a reality in the years to come.
And finally, I thank my friends and family for their never-ending unconditional love. Friends like los amigos del barrio (my old neighborhood friends), Nestor and Fabio Camargo (my “Colombian brothers,” as I like to say), Seamus Gallagher, and Andrea Rademan, who all gave me support whenever things weren’t perfect. David Saettone, I am so grateful for all you have done, not only your help in finalizing the photo shoot details and other projects, but to have found someone who genuinely supports me in both the good and bad times. Keiko Perry, you are a friend so special, my kids call you “grandma,” and Conille, you are such a good mother.
When you have twelve brothers and sisters, people always ask if you know all of their names, so I will write them here as I thank them, whether still with us or loved in memories, so I can prove it once and for all: Teresa Elvira, Marcos Antonio, Rosalinda, Ana Maria, Luis Alberto, Juan Manuel, Miguel Angel, Julio Cesar, Carlos Enrique, Victor Hugo, Luisa Luzmila, and Renzo Gustavo. Mi mama y papá (¿cómo podré agradecerles?), and my grandparents, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, cousins, and “great” versions of the next generation, there are too many to name, but I love you all. Thank you to the entire the Zárate-Choy family for your support. I appreciate you all, whether you are still on this earth or in my heart. The moments we are together are still the happiest of my life, and I can’t imagine being anywhere else.
And mostly, every single day, I thank my kids. You are the real fire of my life.