Mauricio - Where The Heart Of A City Is Found
Have you ever heard that the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach?
What if food was also a way to get to know the heart of a person or a country?
Today I want to introduce you to Mauricio someone who does just that, Mauricio is one of the incredible head chefs at Ancestral located in La Paz, a city so full of diversity, vibrance, beauty, and life; and Mauricio does an incredible job of bringing each of those qualities into the food he creates
Yet in addition to being an incredible chef, Mauricio is also a man who values and does not take lightly the impact that role has on those around him
He shares the joy he feels in cooking and working with his hands but also the deeper joy in seeing his guests enjoy what he has created for them
He shares how he’s learned to care for the parts of the restaurant beyond the kitchen, the reminder that the restaurant is a business as well as a place of creativity, the importance in seeing those two areas separately and clearly, and as the important things that they are
We talk about the culture within Bolivia, its ability to grow and change with the world and the way its diversity is something he is grateful for
Mauricio is one that pours so much into his work, but also one I have a ton of respect for in the way he runs his “ship” there is a tangible sense of care and respect amongst the family surrounding him in the kitchen and on the floor, a sense of character and calm that is rarely present in a restaurant environment, and an attention to detail that creates space for passion to be present in every dish that leaves the kitchen
So tune in today and meet Mauricio, the man that reminded me just how possible it is to be passionate, present, and productive in what we do
And to you Mauricio thank you, thank you for allowing me the honor of getting to know you, for the chance to hear more of who you are, what matters to you, and what has impacted how you show up in this world, thank you for your patience and presence, and of course for sharing the way food turns into art in your kitchen @mauriciolopezancestral
