The taste of Ambrosía

With her dreadlocks and tattoos, at first glance Carolina Bazán could be an eco-warrioress. But appearances are deceptive.

carolina-bazan-ambrosia-restaurant-santiago-departures-100The Chilean chef’s impressive culinary curriculum – which includes honing skills in Lima, Milan and Paris – meant she was recently anointed the ‘One to Watch’ at Latin America’s 50 Best awards for her restaurant Ambrosía in Santiago.

A diplomat’s daughter, Carolina lived in various corners of the Americas until she was 13, giving her a taste for diversity. Her mother, the ambassador’s wife, would take cookery classes before trying out new creations on visitors. Carolina says: “The house was always full of people and we kids would be the waitstaff. Although it’s hard to adapt to change when you’re young – I was born in Buenos Aires and lived in New York, Peru and Washington – I look back now and I’m grateful for having lived through other realities as it means I can be flexible with my menus now. When we definitively returned to Chile, my mum set up a small eatery called Ambrosía and I’d help cut mushrooms after school.”

With gastronomy in her DNA, Carolina signed on for cookery school when she was 18.

For the rest of this piece, please visit Departures.

Ph: Leclic Estudio

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