Chef Papa Mick

Born in Lima, Peru in 1971 Chef Papa Mick showed his interest for cooking at an early age. Influenced by his Peruvian roots as well as his Italian and Spanish descent, Chef Papa Mick’s passion for cooking was sparked at the early age of 12. Raised in a vast cultural melting pot and drawing from family secrets brought from the old countries, the cuisine of his early days presented an opportunity for him to experience the cuisine from far away lands in his own home. Peruvian cuisine since the early 1800’s has been influenced by Cantonese, Italian, Japanese, French and African cuisines. This, combined with the vast availability of top quality fresh products, makes Peruvian cuisine one of the richest and best in the world: fusion at its best! His longtime passion for spearfishing has also taught him how to handle fish and seafood properly. Peru is the land where eating "Ceviche" and "Tiradito" (dish now featured in Nobu's menus together with many other Peruvian dishes) is not only a cultural characteristic it is also a birthright . He recently worked at the world-renowned original Hotel Ritz in Paris, under the supervision of the known Michelin-starred Chef Michel Roth, who gave him the opportunity to create new dishes for the Ritz menus. His time at the Ritz was a great eye-opening experience and his qualities as a Chef were tested when he took on the role of Sushi Man, working hand in hand with Master Sushi Chef Yasuki Oshima. His original take on fusion and knowledge of exotic ingredients makes his cuisine unique and worth discovering.