Puerto Rico has more than just wonderful beaches, a warm climate, and friendly people. It also boasts world-class cuisine.
You can find most of the top chefs hanging around in upscale futuristic restaurants in San Juan. Even winner of the elite Iron Chef competition, chef Roberto Treviño, opened his sleek, savvy Budatai restaurant in the heart of this laid-back city. Yet we had to travel out of San Juan to the sleepy little town of Rincon on the west side of the island to meet a chef that has the Caribbean humming.
Organic and eco-friendly are common terms in Rincon. Also the surfing is world-class and culinary-gold-medal-winner of the National Caribbean Team, chef Pedro Rivera Rosa, will tell you that he would not be here if the waves were gone.
Under a tall palm tree, surrounded by colorful exotic flowering plants, tucked away in a hidden patio inside the Lazy Parrot Hotel, we meet executive chef Pedro Rivera. It is about 82 degrees and the sun is shining brightly. He is friendly and humble, yet confident and happy, as he takes us through his culinary journey of life.
“Well, I was a troubled kid,” Pedro said. “So my mom sent me to Jobs Corp … to find a technical job. She was hoping I would stay out of trouble by doing this. The school offered a Hotel Industry Cooking course so I chose that as my schooling.”
Soon after school, during a cooking competition for the governor, Pedro entered the competition and won first prize with his team. His name was out there and his career was now on the fast track. He began working for the prestigious Palms Del Mar Restaurant, and he moved quickly to the position of a true chef.
Pedro went to America and was hired as sous chef in the Texas Sheraton. He then traveled back to Puerto Rico and hooked up with Richard Abati of the Puerto Rico Hotel Association. He joined the Puerto Rico National Culinary Team and entered the Taste of the Caribbean culinary competition. He was in the top five. “It was an exciting part of my career,” he said.
On a trip to Thailand, while the rest of the family went riding elephants, Pedro decided to enhance his career and his palate by taking several culinary courses at the Culinary Institute of Chang Mai. “I learned more about cooking with coconuts than ever before! Traveling in Asia still influences how I cook today,” he says very proudly.
Hawaii’s big waves then drew him in and so did the Pacific Rim cuisine of the big island. Pedro fell in love with the island and with his wife to be. He decided to stay interning with some of the top hotels on the big island. TV found him, and he stared as the guest chef several times on the “Sugar Shack” show. At the prestigious Chais Island, Bistro Pedro was made the executive chef and soon became one of Governor Linda Linger’s favorite chefs.
Waves come and go, and Pedro soon found himself back on the beaches of Puerto Rico. One fine day, while creating entrees for the Sands Hotel & Casino, the filming of “Amistad” was taking place. Through the Sands Hotel & Casino, Pedro was asked to be Steven Spielberg’s private chef.
Pedro said, “He was a very interesting person, and one day I showed him where the coconut water comes from. He was very surprised by my little demo.” Pedro had kosher food education, which helped greatly during his food preparation for Mr. Spielberg and his family.
Of the many places Pedro has traveled, he seems the happiest in little Rincon, Puerto Rico. “I like the fact that it is so intercontinental here … it is so unusual. I see new trends of Latino and Asian infusion. I think people also want to get back to the basics more. People are wanting more simple and organic.”
Pedro is known as the Organic Surfing Chef around town. “Organic food, well, it just tastes better! Eighty percent better in taste,” Pedro says. He really got hooked on the organic movement when he learned more at the Triple Crown of Surfing competition.
“All they used was hemp milk and organic fresh ingredients. This is where I could really see and taste the difference,” he said. Pedro supports and works with several organic farmers and markets near his area. “I would like to see more support for organic farming … in Puerto Rico,” he said.
“We really do not need to import so much. We can grow it here! We just need to make the effort and not say, mañana or tomorrow.”
When asked what he plans to do in the future Pedro smiles, “I like being a private chef. I may not have the long hours and steady work all of the time, but I do have freedom to ride the waves I love once and awhile.”
Here is a simple dish to make that will dazzle your taste buds from Pedro’s classic collection:
You can find most of the top chefs hanging around in upscale futuristic restaurants in San Juan. Even winner of the elite Iron Chef competition, chef Roberto Treviño, opened his sleek, savvy Budatai restaurant in the heart of this laid-back city. Yet we had to travel out of San Juan to the sleepy little town of Rincon on the west side of the island to meet a chef that has the Caribbean humming.
Organic and eco-friendly are common terms in Rincon. Also the surfing is world-class and culinary-gold-medal-winner of the National Caribbean Team, chef Pedro Rivera Rosa, will tell you that he would not be here if the waves were gone.
Under a tall palm tree, surrounded by colorful exotic flowering plants, tucked away in a hidden patio inside the Lazy Parrot Hotel, we meet executive chef Pedro Rivera. It is about 82 degrees and the sun is shining brightly. He is friendly and humble, yet confident and happy, as he takes us through his culinary journey of life.
“Well, I was a troubled kid,” Pedro said. “So my mom sent me to Jobs Corp … to find a technical job. She was hoping I would stay out of trouble by doing this. The school offered a Hotel Industry Cooking course so I chose that as my schooling.”
Soon after school, during a cooking competition for the governor, Pedro entered the competition and won first prize with his team. His name was out there and his career was now on the fast track. He began working for the prestigious Palms Del Mar Restaurant, and he moved quickly to the position of a true chef.
Pedro went to America and was hired as sous chef in the Texas Sheraton. He then traveled back to Puerto Rico and hooked up with Richard Abati of the Puerto Rico Hotel Association. He joined the Puerto Rico National Culinary Team and entered the Taste of the Caribbean culinary competition. He was in the top five. “It was an exciting part of my career,” he said.
On a trip to Thailand, while the rest of the family went riding elephants, Pedro decided to enhance his career and his palate by taking several culinary courses at the Culinary Institute of Chang Mai. “I learned more about cooking with coconuts than ever before! Traveling in Asia still influences how I cook today,” he says very proudly.
Hawaii’s big waves then drew him in and so did the Pacific Rim cuisine of the big island. Pedro fell in love with the island and with his wife to be. He decided to stay interning with some of the top hotels on the big island. TV found him, and he stared as the guest chef several times on the “Sugar Shack” show. At the prestigious Chais Island, Bistro Pedro was made the executive chef and soon became one of Governor Linda Linger’s favorite chefs.
Waves come and go, and Pedro soon found himself back on the beaches of Puerto Rico. One fine day, while creating entrees for the Sands Hotel & Casino, the filming of “Amistad” was taking place. Through the Sands Hotel & Casino, Pedro was asked to be Steven Spielberg’s private chef.
Pedro said, “He was a very interesting person, and one day I showed him where the coconut water comes from. He was very surprised by my little demo.” Pedro had kosher food education, which helped greatly during his food preparation for Mr. Spielberg and his family.
Of the many places Pedro has traveled, he seems the happiest in little Rincon, Puerto Rico. “I like the fact that it is so intercontinental here … it is so unusual. I see new trends of Latino and Asian infusion. I think people also want to get back to the basics more. People are wanting more simple and organic.”
Pedro is known as the Organic Surfing Chef around town. “Organic food, well, it just tastes better! Eighty percent better in taste,” Pedro says. He really got hooked on the organic movement when he learned more at the Triple Crown of Surfing competition.
“All they used was hemp milk and organic fresh ingredients. This is where I could really see and taste the difference,” he said. Pedro supports and works with several organic farmers and markets near his area. “I would like to see more support for organic farming … in Puerto Rico,” he said.
“We really do not need to import so much. We can grow it here! We just need to make the effort and not say, mañana or tomorrow.”
When asked what he plans to do in the future Pedro smiles, “I like being a private chef. I may not have the long hours and steady work all of the time, but I do have freedom to ride the waves I love once and awhile.”
Here is a simple dish to make that will dazzle your taste buds from Pedro’s classic collection:
Chef Pedro’s Classic Island Salad With Puerto Rican Coffee Dressing
Recipe serves three persons:
1/2 pound organic sunflower sprouts
1/2 pound organic arugula
1 organic vine-ripe tomato
4 ounces organic firm tofu
2 ounces Sandra’s Farm organic coffee beans, 100 percent Puerto Rican
1 organic ripe plantain
3 teaspoons sesame seed toast
1/2 teaspoon organic sesame oil
1/2 ounce fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon organic balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup organic cold-pressed olive oil
2 teaspoons organic soy protein (liquid amino)
1/2 teaspoon Madras curry powder
Hawaiian red salt to taste
Organic fresh crack black pepper to taste
Dice plantain into small cubes and sauté in olive oil until golden brown. Then cut tofu into big dices, mix with a few of the sesame seeds and curry powder. Don’t cook tofu, but keep it cold and fresh. In a blender put together olive oil, coffee, soy amino, sesame oil, balsamic vinegar, ginger, salt, and black pepper to taste, then mix in blender. Now your dressing is ready.
In a mixing bowl put together the arugula and toss with the dressing. Elevate the greens in the center of the plate, top with the sprouts, and put three slices of tomato on the side. Then put the tofu and plantain around the plate and garnish with the rest of the sesame seeds and enjoy! Buen Provecho!
To experience Chef Pedro’s culinary masterpieces, you may contact him at: [email protected]. Chef Pedro will also prepare the meals for you at your own private villa in Puerto Rico through the following contact:
Annie Turri
Rincon Vacations
PO Box 1606
Rincon, PR 00677
787-632-2889
[email protected]
RinconVacations.com
RinconLife.com
1/2 pound organic sunflower sprouts
1/2 pound organic arugula
1 organic vine-ripe tomato
4 ounces organic firm tofu
2 ounces Sandra’s Farm organic coffee beans, 100 percent Puerto Rican
1 organic ripe plantain
3 teaspoons sesame seed toast
1/2 teaspoon organic sesame oil
1/2 ounce fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon organic balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup organic cold-pressed olive oil
2 teaspoons organic soy protein (liquid amino)
1/2 teaspoon Madras curry powder
Hawaiian red salt to taste
Organic fresh crack black pepper to taste
Dice plantain into small cubes and sauté in olive oil until golden brown. Then cut tofu into big dices, mix with a few of the sesame seeds and curry powder. Don’t cook tofu, but keep it cold and fresh. In a blender put together olive oil, coffee, soy amino, sesame oil, balsamic vinegar, ginger, salt, and black pepper to taste, then mix in blender. Now your dressing is ready.
In a mixing bowl put together the arugula and toss with the dressing. Elevate the greens in the center of the plate, top with the sprouts, and put three slices of tomato on the side. Then put the tofu and plantain around the plate and garnish with the rest of the sesame seeds and enjoy! Buen Provecho!
To experience Chef Pedro’s culinary masterpieces, you may contact him at: [email protected]. Chef Pedro will also prepare the meals for you at your own private villa in Puerto Rico through the following contact:
Annie Turri
Rincon Vacations
PO Box 1606
Rincon, PR 00677
787-632-2889
[email protected]
RinconVacations.com
RinconLife.com
