WASHINGTON — Richard Sandoval, chef and founder of ,听has had a busy year.
In addition to opening two new D.C. restaurants — and — and keeping his veteran hotspots (, and ) running, the former 鈥淭op Chef Masters鈥� contestant recently released his new cookbook, 鈥�.鈥�
Most of Sandoval鈥檚 restaurants place a heavy emphasis on Latin fusion, and this cookbook is no different. 聽Sandoval says when he started in New York about 15 years ago, 鈥淟atin food鈥� was often thought of as a fast-casual, Tex-Mex cuisine. It wasn鈥檛 going through a fine-dining revolution like Italian food, he says.
Sandoval, originally from Mexico City, decided he wanted to change this misrepresentation. Instead of sticking with traditional Mexican fare, he started incorporating flavors from Central and South America in his dishes — and diners ate it right up. Now, fusion is a common approach at many restaurants.
鈥淕lobalization has made the world a lot smaller, and people have access — not only physically, but visually — to a lot more things. So people understand cuisines from all over the world,鈥� he says.
Sandoval鈥檚 cookbook compiles his favorite flavors and foods from countries such as Peru, Argentina, Brazil and Colombia. But more importantly, the book is designed to be accessible to the everyday home cook. The recipes — from carnitas sliders with Sriracha mayonnaise to Thai chicken empanadas with mango-red curry sauce — are not cluttered with complicated steps, and the required ingredients can be found at most grocery stores.
鈥淚 think 15 years ago, people would look at a cookbook from a chef and say, 鈥極h, I can鈥檛 do that.鈥� But I think in today鈥檚 world, everybody has access to these TV shows and the Internet. When you see what people are cooking today, it鈥檚 completely different from what you saw 20 years ago,鈥� Sandoval says. 鈥淧eople have become comfortable with [cooking] and have not gotten scared from it.鈥�
Sandoval鈥檚 book doesn鈥檛 stop with his bold and spicy dishes. He gives a nod to another evolution he鈥檚 witnessed in the restaurant industry: the booze renaissance.
鈥淢ixology has become a very important part of what restaurants are today. You know, I don鈥檛 think you go to restaurants today just for the food,鈥� Sandoval says.
Utilizing Latin spirits — such as Mexican tequila and mescal, Brazilian cachaca, Peruvian pisco and Caribbean rum 鈥� Sandoval offers instruction on how to craft cocktails like a tequila-ginger fizz, a classic mojito and a Pisco sour. A handful of non-alcoholic beverages, such as horchata, fresco and a rosa colada, are also included.
What to give his Latin fusion food a try?聽Sandoval offers a few of his favorite online — including his聽,听, , , , and聽.听听
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