Chef Ricardo Zarate: And Nothing Was The Same

Peru is known for its coffee, tropical fruits and rice-based dishes. Chef Ricardo Zarate of the soon-to-open Rosaline (named after his mother) in West Hollywood, drops the first dish in front of us in his Century City apartment, and goes in to describe the flavor profile. “In my country, this is kind of a common meal amongst lower class families. Well, not this version, but this is a play on that. I added garbanzo beans, and put it in a hot plate so the rice would crisp.” Topped with sliced steak, caramelized bananas and a fried egg, this dish will leave few feeling like they overpaid. Zarate relocated to LA eight years ago via London by way of Peru. He has the common chef ’s origin story of eating and cooking with family, with happy memories and a firm cultural identity. He recalls the first dish he ever made, a simple dessert, that he served at a family gathering.

“They all loved it. I remember that feeling of them all enjoying it and it made me feel really good. I still care about people enjoying my food, but now I care less about what people want to see from me. What I am doing [for Rosaline] is me fully expressing myself.” Zarate has a deep history in the LA food scene. From Downtown to the Westside, he was the chef behind Mo-Chica, Picca, the pop-up Once, and Paiche. Jonathan Gold wrote of his ability to deconstruct Peruvian cuisine and add Japanese or European elements that impress foodies and casual diners alike. With this next venture, Zarate’s go-to M.O. is unchanging and he explains his intentions while rolling fresh gnocchi in flour.

“I’m taking Peruvian food and adding a twist, like I always do. Though these will be much more simple. The menu is probably going to be 25 items. My past menus have hosted up to 60. The price
range is something I want to keep low. I want this to be a destination restaurant that people travel for, but there is also something about being the neighborhood go-to that will always be an environment I look to create.” Recently back from a trip to Asia his business partners encouraged him to take for inspiration, Zarate’s mind is on how to infuse the cuisine of other countries into his own food, something that has also been a defining trait in his cooking. “I can’t get this one out of my mind, so I think I’ll do it. I’m thinking a warm charcoal black market bun filled with uni and uni custard.” We all nod in unison and I make a mental note to follow the opening date of Rosaline, expected to open at the end of this summer.

More from Archive