Behind: Jorge Vallejo & Quintonil at Llama

Den 11. og 12. april besøgte Jorge Vallejo fra Restaurant Quintonil Danmark for at være med til at fejre Llamas 5-års fødselsdag.

We took a quick talk with the world famous and award winning chef about the event, collaboration with Llama, his relations to Denmark and the big focus Jorge and his wife Alejandra Flores has on sustainability and social responsibility.

What were your thoughts behind the composition of the menu for Thursday night? 
I think the menu we made for the first night reflects very well the flavors that we try to convey at Quintonil. While they are based on the tradition of Mexican cuisine, I think they also represent a very contemporary way of seeing how people eat and how they live in Mexico City.

What do you think of Llama, and how has it been to do service in cooperation with the team from Llama?
I think it's a restaurant that has a lot of life. I'm shocked that it has that many people and movement, for a city the size of Copenhagen. That speaks of the interest that exists in the people and the area for Latin American food and I was pleased to see so much enthusiasm for the place, for the space and for our cuisine. 

The team treated us amazing and it was quite a surprise to meet people from Venezuela, Mexico and Argentina in the staff. It is always good to be able to interact with people who speak your own language and I think that for them and for everyone it was a very enriching and demanding service. A challenge for us because of the number of people we attended, but I think everything went very well.

You already know Copenhagen, from your time working at Noma. How does it feel to be back?
It is a city in which I made great friendships since I had the opportunity to go for the first time, and in which I feel at home. The people of Copenhagen always welcome me and treat me as if it were my house and that makes me feel very good. The gastronomic community of Copenhagen is very united and always welcomes those who visit it.

We know that your wife and yourself are very committed to social responsibility and sustainability. What is your main focus on that, at the moment? 
I believe that sustainability and social commitment should be a constant in the life of any human being. I think that at this moment we must always be aware that all the actions we take as human beings will have an impact on both the short and the long term. In a restaurant we live that intensely because we feed the people, and that is one of the most important things you can do. In a way, by trying to give quality food and a healthy offer, we can positively influence how people can feed at home and take action so that we all make a better world.

What experience do you hope that people take with them from Thursdays event?
I hope that they discovered a bit about our work and with that, became curious to know our country, which is one of the things that gives me more drive. I also hope that we can have the opportunity to serve them again, but at Quintonil.

Did you also read about Quintinil at Llama? You can read more and se all the beautiful picture right here.