By Marie-Antoinette Issa.
For many, Latin American cuisine begins and ends with tacos, tortillas and tamales - Mexican staples that have dominated minds and menus across the globe.
Latin America is a region that spans nearly 13 per cent of the Earth’s surface, is home to more than 20 countries, hundreds of Indigenous nations and a wealth of culinary cultures that go far beyond burritos.
It’s this diversity that Executive Chef Jose Garcia is determined to showcase - one empanada, arepa and patacon at a time.
Jose, the Venezuelan-born Chef behind Sydney’s Atticus Hospitality venues (including tqm.), doesn’t just cook food - he carries the flavours of a continent with him.
"My passion for Latin cuisine is deeply rooted in my Venezuelan heritage. I lived in Venezuela until I was 21 and was fortunate to travel across the country from north to south and east to west, tasting the typical dishes of each region. From the moment I began studying culinary arts, I knew I wanted to represent and share that rich gastronomic culture wherever I went.”
To Jose, Latin American cuisine is defined by vibrancy - colourful plates built on ancient techniques and local ingredients. "Latin American cuisine is like its people - colourful, joyful, full of energy, flavour and rhythm. Our gastronomy is deeply tied to ancestral techniques and ingredients, often based on what could be gathered from the jungle, forest, coast or mountains, adapting to what each region and season had to offer. That’s why it’s so rich and diverse.”
Nowhere is that richness more evident than in the flavours of his motherland:
"Venezuelan cuisine is vibrant, fresh and full of soul. Our staple ingredients include corn, plantains and legumes. There is also a strong influence from Portuguese, Italian and Spanish immigrants. Depending on the region, you might find rich coastal dishes like fried fish with green plantain tostones and fresh salads, or in the plains, slow-cooked beef over open flames (carne en vara) served with boiled cassava, guasacaca, fresh cheese and spicy sauces. In the Andes, trout, mushrooms and wheat-based arepas (known as arepa andina) take the spotlight.”
While many might be familiar with the humble arepa, Jose is quick to highlight a few lesser-known dishes he believes deserve their moment in the spotlight.
These include: patacon: a base of twice-fried green plantains topped with shredded beef or chicken, cabbage and carrot slaw and sauces like aioli, mustard, ketchup and grated cheese.
Pepito Larense: possibly the best street food in the country - grilled beef or chicken, diced and marinated, served in a toasted bun with sauces and grated Parmesan.
Vuelve a la Vida: a vibrant seafood cocktail from the coast, made with mixed seafood and fish in a tangy sauce of vinegar, tomato and garlic; and cachapa, a sweet, creamy pancake made from ground corn, typically served with hand-stretched queso de mano and crispy pork.
Now based in Sydney, Jose is excited to introduce more of these flavours to Australian diners. "Though widely known, I hope to give greater visibility to ingredients like corn, unrefined cane sugar (papelon), tamarind, passion fruit and black beans.”
Venezuela is just one chapter of this culinary story. Jose is passionate about shining a light on the cuisines that often get overshadowed by the big names of Argentinian asado, Peruvian ceviche or Brazilian churrasco.
"Paraguayan and Colombian cuisines deserve more global recognition. Colombia has some of the best street food in South America, alongside Brazil. Paraguayan cuisine offers incredible stews and soups with humble origins but deep, comforting flavours.
"One of my favourites is bori bori, a cheese and cornmeal dumpling soup. Also worth mentioning are chipa guazu, a traditional corn and cheese pie, and so’o apue, a flavourful meatball soup perfect for colder climates.”
He’s also a fan of Bolivia’s climate-driven food traditions. "Bolivia’s cuisine stands out due to its climate-driven ingredients like quinoa, corn and a wide variety of chilli peppers. The peanut soup is rich and comforting, with an incredible depth of flavour. Bolivian empanadas are also packed with juicy, spicy fillings - perfect for starting the day.”
Further north, countries like Uruguay, Ecuador and Chile also remain largely off the global food radar; however, they are packed with options that merit recognition. In Uruguay, coastal influences blend with gaucho traditions, resulting in dishes such as chivito (a towering steak sandwich) and puchero (a slow-simmered meat and vegetable stew).
Ecuador’s diverse geography - from the Amazon jungle to the high-altitude Andes - offers everything from guatita (a peanut-based tripe stew) to encocado de pescado (coconut fish stew). While, Chile’s cuisine brings the best of the Pacific to the plate, with specialties like pastel de choclo - a comforting baked corn pie layered with meat, olives and hard-boiled eggs. These are just a few of the soulful, storied dishes waiting for wider appreciation.
Central American food also often flies under the radar, but it’s every bit as rich and varied. Costa Rican cuisine, for instance, is built on balance and freshness - think gallo pinto (rice and beans), sweet plantains, fresh seafood and picadillos. Meals are typically simple, nourishing, and built on high-quality local ingredients.
Guatemala also offers a deep culinary tradition shaped by its Indigenous roots. Dishes like pepian, jocon and kak’ik highlight the use of native spices, herbs and chillies. Corn is king here - appearing in everything from tamales wrapped in banana leaves to thick tortillas cooked on clay griddles.
In El Salvador, pupusas are finally getting international recognition. These griddled corn cakes, stuffed with cheese, beans or pork and served with curtido (a tangy slaw), represent comfort food at its finest. Beyond pupusas, Salvadorian cuisine is defined by hearty soups,
So, while tacos might always have a place at the table, Jose is here to make sure they’re not the only thing on the menu. Latin American food is more than Mexican - it’s a cross-continent destination of untold delicious stories, just waiting to be discovered.
Photo credit: Centre House Media.
