Acknowledgments

On a day like any other, Javier Wong goes to the store to buy groceries. On a day like any other, Javier Wong remarks that cooking is an art that one develops gradually until “getting things just right,” becoming worthy of a special clientele. On a day like any other, Javier Wong can be found cooking for his exclusive guests.

For Nicanor Javier Wong Chong (1948, Rímac), cooking is one of humanity’s noblest arts, one that encompasses every scientific discipline, as well, he notes enthusiastically.

With a career spanning “forty-something years,” he recalls with pride how he started out helping his uncle. Little by little, he developed his own style, his own way of cooking.

“Peruvian cuisine has come a long way. There’s a lot of dedication; new flavors have been discovered, new ways of cooking,” says the “godfather” of Peruvian cooks.

“Cooking makes me happy,” he says with a smile.

A few years ago, after he won the award for the world’s best ceviche, he told a local news outlet that he would hang up his knives, but that didn’t happen. “The things you feel passionately about are hard to leave behind. Passion burns within you; it moves you,” Wong says as he gets ready to welcome his guests, just a few of the many people who praise his dishes with complete candor. Having the master make a ceviche for us is a luxury not to be missed. He does it with love, faith, and professionalism.

On a day like any other, Wong says that sole is his specialty, and that ceviche is all about “the perfection of the simple things,” that there’s no such thing as a bad ceviche. He loves the straightforwardness of the dish, its freshness, its ability to charm and refresh the palate.

The master—who considers himself a Limeño born and bred, hailing from the district of Rímac—is a perfect example of perseverance and love for Peru. One can often find this tireless man sharpening his knives, ordering ingredients, dicing, roasting, stirring, calculating the tiniest of details in the flavor that will ultimately translate to magnificent dishes and a properly served table.

Seeing his guests leave satisfied is the best reward Javier Wong could ask for. “What could be better than happy customers who have gotten excellent service, and had all their expectations met? That’s all you can hope for in the humble world of cooking,” he concludes, returning to his special place—the kitchen, where Wong enthusiastically sets up around mid-morning each day, already raring to go.