When you just arrive in a new country it can be overwhelming. You don’t easily forget the person who helps get you on your feet. Mine was a Peruvian chef, and a great man. He was the first person to give me an opportunity working in his restaurant, and when I started working he saw I couldn’t afford a place to live until I started making some money. He opened his house to me, and let me live with him and his family until I could find a place of my own. Everybody says I’m like his second child. He was my mentor, and once he taught me everything he knew, he encouraged me to seek work at other restaurants to learn from other chefs. This is a major reason why I have a strong connection with Peruvian cuisine.