Acknowledgments
Best female chef
Francesca Ferreyros
She has been quietly but consistently dazzling. She has caused a furor without trying to. She has attracted attention without seeking it. The 2023 SUMMUM Award for best female chef goes to Francesca Ferreyros, the creator of Baan, thanks to her commendable work combining the flavors of Southeast Asia with ingredients from the Peruvian Amazon.
“For me, cooking equals happiness,” the young 34-year-old chef is quick to note, adding, “Nearly all of my fondest memories occurred in the kitchen or around a dining table.” Her eyes light up when she talks about making cookies with her grandmother and her mom as a little girl, or learning tips and recipes from her dad once she was older.
“The kitchen is my favorite place in the house. It’s the place where I feel at peace, where I enjoy my ‘me time.’ Professionally speaking, cuisine is the reason I wake up each morning excited to start the day, to greet and serve customers, surprising them and helping to create happy memories like the ones I have,” says Francesa, who spent her teenage years cooking alongside her father and working at restaurants during summer vacation. After going to culinary school, her passion for exploring new cultures led her to work in the United States, Spain, and Thailand. In 2018, she returned to Lima with the urge to start something of her own.
“Baan has been a pleasant surprise for me. It came about unexpectedly because of the pandemic, based on a concept that I never would have dreamed of making into a business. It ended up becoming like a home to me (ironically enough, baan means home), where our team has gelled into a beautiful family that works hard to make sure our customers feel welcome and enjoy their experience here,” says the chef with great enthusiasm. Baan has now become one of Lima’s most interesting restaurants, and we owe it all to Francesca.
