The captivating interior boasts bright, warm tones.
Franco Aldana first set foot in Malaysia in January this year, bringing with him a rich tapestry of culinary traditions and his passion for authentic Peruvian cuisine. His stint here is the latest chapter in his career that has spanned continents, cultures and culinary styles, all culminating in his current role as executive chef at Feliz in Avenue K, Kuala Lumpur.
“Instead of positioning Feliz as a mere rooftop bar within the KLCC area, I wanted Feliz to be known as a bastion of real Peruvian food and drinks. Once our customers are better acquainted with Peruvian cuisine, only then will I progress to incorporate more contemporary and fanciful touches to our dishes,” says the chef.
Hailing from Lima, Peru, Aldana, 32, first discovered his love for cooking at 16 in his home kitchen. His early passion spurred him to pursue formal training at prestigious culinary institutions such as Le Cordon Bleu, ISIL Aprende Haciendo and D’Gallia Gastronomic Institute. The rigorous formal training and practical experiences provided Aldana with a strong foundation in the culinary arts, equipping him with the requisite technical and strategic leadership skills.
The chef’s ascent up the career ladder saw him honing his skills as chef de partie at Maido, one of the world’s best 50 restaurants famed for its Nikkei cuisine that combines Japanese techniques with Peruvian ingredients. After gaining more experience as chef de cuisine at Ko Asian Kitchen, he went to the Dominican Republic in 2018.
Aldana hard at work. — Photos: CHING YEE SING
“To prepare for my new position, I trained at Astrid & Gaston, a refined restaurant specialising in regional seafood and meat. As the chef de cuisine, I was responsible for the opening of a Caribbean casual dining restaurant, KGB Kitchen Gallery Bistro. After a year, I progressed to a more pivotal role in the opening of another Caribbean fine-dining establishment, Maraca SDQ. Unfortunately, my time there was disrupted by the pandemic.”
He then returned to Peru and founded his own business, Café Francesco and Tío Frank in May 2020. The Marriott Group came a-calling in September 2022, luring Aldana to Dubai where he made his mark by opening OAnjo, a contemporary Portuguese-Japanese restaurant located on the rooftop of the Sheraton Mall of the Emirates Hotel. After two years in Dubai and whilst holidaying in Thailand, he was approached by the Cinnamon Group to bring his culinary talents to Malaysia.
Diverse flavours
Aldana is happy to note that both locals and expatriates have responded favourably to his culinary offerings thus far.
“Malaysian diners are pleasantly surprised to discover Peruvian food share some similarities with Malaysian cuisine. Perhaps it’s because Peruvian cooking uses lots of chillies, garlic and onions − the cornerstones of Peruvian cuisine − which resonate with Malaysian palates,” he says.
“Aji (chilli) is a key ingredient in Peruvian cooking, but its purpose is not to make the dishes fiery-hot. We have a wide variety of aji but the chilli seeds are removed before we use them. Fish and seafood are also popularly eaten in Peru due to the country’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean. That’s why ceviche, raw fish marinated in aji panca (chilli), lime, salt, garlic, ginger and coriander is our national dish. It may look simple, but you need precision and technique to achieve that perfect balance of flavours.
“Potatoes, corn and rice are also staples for us. We have about 4,000 varieties of potato in Peru whilst Malaysia imports potatoes from the Netherlands. As such, it’s difficult for me to make typical Peruvian potato dishes.”
Aldana says that apart from its indigenous roots, Peru has embraced Spanish, Italian, African and Chinese influences over the centuries, resulting in the country’s rich and diversified culinary traditions.
“Peruvians are multi-racial too: the north is more Italian-centric, the coastal regions have more African immigrants while the mountainous regions in the south are the domain of native Andean and Incan communities.
The outdoor rooftop area of Feliz.
“The Spanish also introduced produce such as citrus fruits and wheat, and new cooking techniques to Peru while Chinese influences and Japanese techniques are integrated into Peru’s culinary traditions to create what is known as Nikkei cuisine. Chifa is the Peruvian version of fried rice, a dish heavily influenced by the Chinese. The Japanese also enriched our gastronomic tapestry with their culinary skills and techniques, and introduced soy sauce and ginger to us,” he adds.
According to an article in Journal of Ethnic Food, the word “chifa” originated from the Chinese words chi (eat) and farn (rice). The term emerged around the 1930s in Lima when Peruvians overheard Chinese restaurateurs calling out to potential customers, inviting them to patronise their eateries to chi farn (eat rice).
“We do import some Peruvian ingredients such as canchita, fried corn kernels and Peruvian chilli pastes to preserve the integrity of my Peruvian dishes. I also cook rice the Peruvian way: washing the jasmine rice several times to lessen the starch, as we prefer the rice to remain separate and not sticky once it’s cooked. Garlic and salt are always added to flavour the rice,” explains Aldana.
The biggest challenge for him as a chef is the training of staff when opening new restaurants and when he has to lead a new kitchen team following a career move. Inspired by his mentor and one of the most important champions of Peruvian cuisine in the world – chef Gastón Acurio –Aldana intends to emulate him in promoting and sharing his Peruvian culinary heritage.
Aldana’s favourite Peruvian dish is ceviche, which is not surprising as he is from the coastal region where seafood is found abundantly from the Pacific Ocean. Despite being a newcomer to Malaysia, he has already taken a liking to durian.
“After sampling Musang King for the first time recently, I like the fruit’s sweet, creamy taste. Now I can’t wait to try all the other durian varieties available!”
Beyond his dedication to the kitchen, Aldana is an intrepid traveller and avid hiker, so he plans to explore more of Malaysia when the opportunity arises.
“I’m glad I can combine my love for food and adventure in my life right now,” he concludes.
