Vocabulary

Video

Transcript

 
Enrique Servan, Restaurateur: “When I think about Peru, I think about my family and my childhood; it was probably the happiest time of my life. I didn’t worry about anything. I was happy, although I had nothing.”

Enrique Servan was born in 1970 in the Peruvian capital Lima. He was the second youngest of eight children.

In the 1980s Peru was subject to unrest by terrorist guerrillas. Servan could see no future for himself there, so in 1989 he came to Berlin.

 
Enrique Servan, Restaurateur: “No matter where I am I’m a foreigner, whether I’m in Peru or here, I’m the guy from somewhere else. It always makes me sad.

Here in Germany, in Berlin, I’ve made a homeland for myself. I feel very good here. And I think Germany has become a part of me.”

To finance his university studies, Servan worked as a dishwasher. He planned to become an architect — but he had so much fun working in restaurants that he trained three years to become a chef.

 
In 2010 he opened Serrano, his first restaurant.

Enrique Servan, Restaurateur: “I was used to cooking; my family cooked every day and my mother taught us. It wasn’t a challenge for me to help out in the kitchen . . . I just thought I like this. And it’s a sensible job.”

Wilmersdorf is a lively district in the west of the city. There are lots of different restaurants here.

Servan’s idea was to introduce Berlin to his homeland, Peru. His restaurant has a modern not a traditional design. But some of the embellishments were made in Peru.

Enrique Servan, Restaurateur: “There was no Peruvian restaurant with professional cooking and something of a European ambiance. So I thought, why not? I’m a genuine Peruvian, and I was convinced that a foreign restaurant in Germany should be authentic.”

 
Peruvian cuisine is very diverse and often very spicy. In the beginning Servan on had to win over his German clientele. One of his main dishes is ceviche, a Peruvian specialty jazzed up with hot Peruvian peppers called rocoto.>/em>

Enrique Servan, Restaurateur: “What’s special about rocoto is its size; you could confuse it with a red bell pepper. The difference is the black seeds which are extremely hot — it would be dangerous just to eat it by itself.

Ceviche is marinated fish. You can use white fish like croaker, cod or sea bream. Ceviche is more than just a dish in Peru: in 2004 the Institute of Culture made it part of the nation’s official cultural heritage.

Ceviche is light, fresh and very healthy; it only has around 300 calories per serving.

The fish is cubed and marinated in lime juice — that breaks down the protein, just as fermentation does. Thus the fish is slightly pickled not really raw.

Ceviche is usually served with yams and corn.

Enrique Servan, Restaurateur: “It was a pleasure making ceviche for you. I hope you enjoy it. Bon Appetit!”

Questions

Peru. In the 1980s, was Peru stable and prosperous?

Bolivia. Servan came to Germany to study in a culinary academy to become a chef. True or false?

Ecuador. How did he enter the culinary trade? What was his cooking background?

Colombia. Doe Servan work for someone else, or is he his own boss?

Chile. Describe his restaurant.

Venezuela. Is ceviche roasted or fried fish? How do you prepare ceviche?

Guyana. Does Servan serve ceviche with bread, mashed potatoes and broccoli?
 
 
 
Brazil. Has Servan integrated or assimilated into German society?

Argentina. Do you eat fish or other seafood? Is fish your favorite food?

Uruguay. Is seafood popular where you live?

Paraguay. Are there any South American or Latin American restaurants in your city? Are there foreign, international or ethnic restaurants in your city?

Panama. My friends and I would like to open our own restaurant or street food stall. Yes or no?

Trinidad and Tobago. What might happen in the future?