By Leigh O’Connor.
The ocean has long been a stage for culinary artistry, a place where Chefs and diners alike turn to for purity, freshness and inspiration. Two dishes in particular capture the poetry of the sea while offering very different interpretations: ceviche and crudo.
Both rely on the delicacy of raw fish, yet their stories diverge in philosophy, technique and emotion. To place them side by side is to witness a conversation between continents and cultures, each with its own way of honouring the catch.
Ceviche carries the sun-kissed spirit of Latin America. It is the dish of coastal mornings, of fishing boats returning at dawn with shimmering fillets that will never see fire. Citrus takes centre stage here, acting as both sorcerer and sculptor.
Lime and lemon bathe the flesh, firming it, lightening it and unlocking an intensity that dances across the tongue. The result is not merely cured fish, but an experience alive with contrast - sharp yet sweet, cool yet fiery.
Slivers of red onion add their crisp bite, while chilli threads a ribbon of heat. Coriander lifts the dish with a burst of green and the humble corn kernel or silky sweet potato provides a grounding sweetness. Every forkful hums with vibrancy, an edible echo of crashing waves, warm breezes and the pulse of celebration. Ceviche is a dish of immediacy - of now. It demands to be eaten fresh, alive, unapologetic and fleetingly perfect.
Crudo, by contrast, is an ode to restraint, a dish that whispers instead of sings. Its roots lie in the elegance of Italy, where reverence for raw ingredients runs deep. ‘Crudo’ simply means raw, yet the simplicity of the name belies the sophistication of the experience.
Here, the fish is not transformed but revealed. It arrives on the plate in translucent ribbons or delicate slices, adorned only with a brushstroke of extra-virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of sea salt, a wisp of citrus zest, perhaps the faintest suggestion of herbs. Nothing more is required.
The beauty of crudo lies in the way it slows time: a dish that asks the diner to linger, to notice the silken texture, the natural sweetness, the quiet salinity of the sea itself. It is refinement distilled into its purest expression, where the quality of the ingredient is the sole narrative.
Side by side, these two dishes are a study in duality. Ceviche bursts forth with colour and contrast, demanding attention like a fiesta unfolding in the sun. Crudo draws you in with quiet grace, an intimate moment of reflection on the purity of the sea.
One is exuberant and bold, the other restrained and elegant, yet both are united by an unshakable devotion to freshness. They remind us that the ocean gives its best only once and that seafood must be respected in its moment of perfection.
To choose between them is not necessary. Rather, it is to understand that ceviche and crudo are two voices in the same chorus - different notes that together reveal the depth of the ocean’s song.
Ceviche awakens the palate, crackling with brightness and heat. Crudo soothes, asking us to listen closely, to appreciate nuance and subtlety.
One is a celebration, the other a love letter. Together, they remind us of the many ways the sea can be tasted, honoured and adored.
