Since his childhood, Chef Jose Luis Chavez has had an almost insatiable desire for adventure and vigor for life. After graduating from high school, he made a few attempts at pursuing university, but ultimately required a different pace that led him to the culinary world. It was at a restaurant in Merida, Venezuela, where he was raised high in the Andes, that he first made his way into a kitchen.

Within a year, he was traveling to Peru, the land of his father, who originates from Rioja, San Martin, a region of the jungle. During that time, not only did he commence culinary school, but he moved in with his family and discovered the joy of shared meals over platters of ceviche and other delicious food. Over five years of living in Peru, Chef Jose Luis graduated from culinary school, worked in a myriad of restaurants in and out of Lima, and had his first foray into entrepreneurship. He was privileged to travel the country extensively, exploring the depth of Peruvian cuisine and the mysteries of its cultural history and living environments.