Meet The Chef: Gino Da Silva of Cholos Kitchen

Meet Gino Da Silva, the head chef and owner of Cholos Kitchen in New Rochelle.

Da Silva grew up in a small town in northern Peru called Tumbes, where he learned how to cook the old fashioned way— by watching his mother and grandmother in their family kitchen.

Sixteen years ago, he moved to the states, and eventually settled in New York. When a friend told him about this small restaurant in New Rochelle that was being sold, Da Silva jumped at the chance to start his own business.

He settled in quickly, transforming the restaurant with Peruvian art.

"Peruvian food is very famous now" said Da Silva, who said Peruvian food intersects with the culinary traditions of many other cultures.

"From Asia you have the arroz chaufa, a chicken or pork fried rice, with scallion, egg, and ginger and from Italy you have the tallarines verdes, a pesto pasta with a Peruvian twist," said Da Silva.

The restaurant also serves delicious plates such as ceviche (seafood 'cooked' in lime juice and hot peppers), lomo saltado (sautéed steak with onion, tomato and tangy sauce poured over french fries and served with rice), and humitas verdes (fresh ground Peruvian corn and spices cooked in a corn husk).

So what's Da Silva's favorite dish at Cholos Kitchen?

"Tacu Tacu," said Da Silva, smiling, "It's rice with spices and beans with shrimp, chicken, or pork."  

Cholo's Kitchen also has traditional Peruvian drinks such as chicha, which is made by boiling Peruvian purple corn and adding a bit of pineapple juice and a stick of cinnamon while it cooks.

Da Silva said his favorite part of owning his own restaurant is introducing Peruvian food to people that have never tried it.

"I love every time I have a new customer that has never tried Peruvian food before," said Da Silva, "Sometimes they seem a bit scared and don't know what to expect, but at the end they love the food and they always come back."

Chef Da Silva shares one of his favorite recipes with Patch:

How to make Sudadito (Chunky fish soup with fresh vegetables and spices)

You will need:

• I filet of red brown fish
• 1 onion cut in slices
• 1 tomato cut in slices
• Cilantro
• Garlic
• Cumin and pepper
• Chicha de Jora (A Peruvian drink)
• Olive Oil

Preparation:

• Warm up the olive oil in a pan
• Put the onions and tomatoes slices in
• Fry them for two minutes
• Add the fish
• Add half a cup of Chicha de Jora
• Cover the pan and let it cook for five minutes
• Add a bit of spice
• Pour it on the plate
• Place a leaf of cilantro on top
• It's ready to serve!