Mitsuharu 'Micha' Tsumura: "I want to democratize good food. I'm not going to create another fine dining restaurant."

San SebastiánLast June, The World's 50 Best Restaurants list determined that The best restaurant in the world was in Lima and it was called MaidoThis is the title that Disfrutar in Barcelona held last year, but as the rules dictate, it cannot repeat and thus joins the ranks of those who have already occupied the number 1 spot. At the gala held in Turin, the competition had narrowed down to two restaurants: Maido, specializing in Nikkei cuisine (a blend of Japanese and Peruvian cooking), and Mitsuharu. Micha Tsumura (Lima, 1981), chef and owner of Maido, jumped for joy and let out a big shout when he learned that the first position was returning to Peru, as It had already happened with the Central restaurant"I knew the whole country was watching," he says. Tsumura had been pursuing him for some time: he'd been in the top ten for eight years. And this year, he'd visited Catalonia to promote his proposal, making a four-hands meal at El Celler de Can RocaMitsuharu Tsumura speaks to ARA in San Sebastián during the Gastronomika congress.

When the 50 Best list recognized your restaurant Maido as number 1 a few months ago, at the after-party you stood in a corner, deep in thought. What were you thinking about?

— The party was already winding down, and at that point I was a bit tired. I wanted to sit down for a while and think. To process it all. It's nice to look back and have a moment for yourself, because you're surrounded by so many people all the time, and you also need to enjoy yourself alone. Everything happens so fast. And then they sell you out. flashbacksWhen you're in a highly emotional moment, there are things you overlook.

Now that you've had time to digest it, what have you been doing these past few months?

— Work. Since I returned to Lima, we haven't stopped. Being number one activates many things. People want to know more about your work, and it receives more attention. Being the best restaurant in the world depends on many things; it's subjective, and there are many variables. There are tons of incredible restaurants in the world. If you win, obviously, you should be grateful and try to make it have a lasting impact. Make it help your country and the industry. The award isn't yours; it belongs to many people. If you have a voice in countries like Peru, where there's so much to be done, you have to share it to motivate people and let them know that interesting things can be done there. It shouldn't be viewed solely from a gastronomic perspective, but rather as something that can contribute to society in general.

Have Peruvian restaurants received much help from the government to position themselves globally?

— The Peruvian government does support gastronomy, yes. But in the case of haute cuisine, it's the restaurants themselves who work and provide the financial resources to secure events, conferences, and organize trips. We've managed to bring the press to Peru directly, using our own schedules, resources, and budgets.

You own a fine dining restaurant, a place many of your fellow citizens will never be able to visit. Is this difficult for you?

— I want to democratize good food. I'm not going to create another fine-dining restaurant, because one is more than enough for me. That's why I have Tori, with my name and my brand, which is a chicken place, a rotisserie. We cook whole chickens, over a wood fire, with charcoal. We have four, and we'll have more. People used to stop me in the street and tell me that Maido was full or that they couldn't afford it. At my rotisserie, the average bill is 7 euros per person; anyone can go. And it's my flavor, it's how I'd like to eat chicken, wings, fried chicken, or a hamburger.

Do you make Andean guinea pigs?

— No, because cue isn't that popular. It's not eaten as much in Lima, more so in the highlands. People in Lima eat more European-style cue. We make them spring rolls or dumplingsEverything is made with chicken. And then I also made the sauces, a brand called MT [the initials of Mitsuharu Tsumura]. When people ask me, "What is the future of Peruvian cuisine?" they measure everything in restaurants. A cuisine shouldn't be measured by how many Peruvian restaurants there are in the world. The closest I can get to your home is with my sauces. We export to the United States, soon to Chile, and why not to Spain or the whole world? Peru can be on the world stage with its products, just like you can find Parmesan cheese all over the planet. I want to promote the industry, not just export raw materials. Why do we export potatoes instead of selling them directly frozen and cut into chips and letting others do it? The same thing has happened with cacao, of which we have some of the best in the world.

For you Who is Gastón Acurio??

— He's a pioneer, a visionary. And, in my case, he's my mentor. The person who has guided me along the way many times. I'm lucky to be very close to him. All I tell young people is to listen to those who are older, who have more experience.

Your father has been very important in your career. I understand it was he who decided you would become a chef.

— He pushed me. You hear many cases of cooks whose parents opposed it back then. In my case, he told me, "Listen, if you want to be a cook, go for it, and I'll support you." He's very old-school; he believes in hard work. While everyone else was having fun, I was working. All of that has changed now. The industry has turned around, and what we do is provide a better quality of life for the people who work with us.

And do you think this is compatible with excellence?

— The days of waking up and sleeping at the restaurant are over. I believe in human sustainability, which means, how can I make someone who's been working so many hours and is exhausted go to a table and smile? I mean, they can fake a smile, sure, but they're wearing sunglasses that cover half their face. You're not going to last like that. It used to be like that, I did it, obviously, when I was young. But I don't think it's right today: people should have their own lives, their own space, and work their own hours. That way you sleep better and give your best, unlike when you work fourteen hours.

And do you do it?

— I don't do it because I can't. But I don't want to either. I can't sit still. I'm hyperactive. But what you can't say is that it's mandatory and that if you don't do it, you don't belong in this sector.

So what's the verdict? Is it necessary or not to reach number one?

— You can work in the industry, putting in the hours. But if you want to be different, that's another story. The most important thing in cooking isn't what you do in the kitchen, but what you put in it. Even at home, if you're passionate about cooking, you watch TV or you're driving, thinking about what you can do better and what you can do more of. It's like a virus. It's like a soccer player: if you want to be number one, if you want to be the champion, you train like everyone else. But you also go to the gym and watch what you eat. You're a soccer player 24 hours a day. If you're training and you're not taking penalties well, you stay after training and practice penalties until you get the curve you want. These are the ones who win the Ballon d'Or. Now, who forced you to do it? Nobody. The more you practice something, any task, the better you'll become.

The history of Nikkei cuisine and your family's story is a product of immigration. Many things that are 100% Peruvian are the result of cultural mixing, but your grandparents' arrival wasn't easy.

— After World War II, there was strong rejection of the Japanese. It's a sensitive topic to discuss. For now, the combined population of Italian, Chinese, and Japanese descent may represent 20% of the country. Peru wouldn't be what it is gastronomically if it weren't for that. The lomo saltadoWe wouldn't have the Peruvian version of soy sauce, we wouldn't have the cuisine Chinese [the mix with Chinese cuisine]. And if we talk about the Spanish, we wouldn't have thechili chicken or kitchen ArequipaWhether you like it or not, Peru has been built from a thousand nations. It is a mixed-race country.

Finally, would you recommend any restaurants in Catalonia?

— I went to Granja Elena, on the recommendation of Mateu Casañas, from Disfrutar. I loved it.