Words by Elaine Wu
If Arturo Bazan, executive chef and co-owner of Callao in Los Altos, had his way, Bay Area foodies would learn to embrace the cuisine of his native Peru the way they do Mexican food. “Everyone knows tacos. But if you want to know more about ceviche, I want to give people that knowledge,” he says proudly. “It’s part of me. It’s part of my culture.”
A native of Peru’s capital city Lima, Arturo has been cooking since he was 10 years old. With both of his parents working long hours in law enforcement, his mother decided to arm her child with some basic cooking skills so he could take care of himself. As he got older, he relished the responsibility of cooking for the family. “I have an amazing Mom and Dad but they didn’t always have time to cook,” Arturo recalls. ”It made me feel important because I started preparing food for my parents. Then I wanted to try preparing more interesting foods and experiment.”
That curiosity in the kitchen guided Arturo toward a culinary career, which led to working in some of Lima’s finest restaurants alongside award-winning chefs. But strangely enough, he didn’t feel fulfilled. “In Latin America, people work because they’re passionate about what they do,” he explains. “But I got tired of the routine. I wanted more. I wanted to make homemade, authentic, real Peruvian food here in America. The food of my culture, like my Mom used to make.”
So when his friend Juan Carlos Sosoya invited Arturo to join him in opening Jora, a food stand in the San Pedro Square Market in San Jose, he left home. “It was the most important decision of my life, deciding to come to the United States,” Arturo says. “I never thought about owning a restaurant because it’s a lot of stress and a lot of work! But Jora was small and I thought, why not?”
After a year of positive feedback and requests from loyal customers to open a sit-down restaurant, Arturo and business partners Juan Carlos and Pablo Delgado went looking for just the right space. It took them three long years, but in 2024, they opened Callao on First Street in Los Altos. “Peruvian food is very similar in produce and ingredients as Mexican food. But we have different preparation and flavors,” Arturo explains. “I try to use spice to flavor, not cause pain. With each bite, I want people to taste all the flavors on the plate. A little salty, sweet, sour, a little bit of spice. This is my style.”
Though he was born in Lima, Arturo considers his home to be the neighboring seaside city Callao, where he spent most of his time. “Callao is more casual, more of a community than Lima,” he says. “People in Callao eat more ceviches, seafood, rice. I try to make true Peruvian food, so 90 percent of our menu is authentic classic dishes.” As for that other 10 percent of the menu? That’s where you’ll find some of Arturo’s less traditional dishes, like the crab croquettes.
For first-timers to Peruvian food, Arturo has some recommendations. Every table should start with a ceviche, an appetizer made with fresh fish and a citrus-based sauce. He also suggests entrees like the seco de cordero, a lamb stew with cilantro sauce served with beans and rice, or the arroz con pato, which is smoked duck served with cilantro rice. But there is one must-have dish if you are new to Peruvian cuisine. “Lomo saltado,” Arturo advises. The soy sauce-marinated beef tenderloin sautéed with onions, tomatoes and yellow peppers “is the one obligatory dish you have to try.”
After working in kitchens on two continents, Arturo’s pride for his homeland comes through in his dishes, and he’s passionate about sharing his Peruvian heritage with the Bay Area through his food. “It’s crazy to me that a chef would have a secret recipe that they don’t want to share. I know a lot of chefs are this way,” Arturo declares. “The beautiful thing about being in the kitchen is that even if you have one recipe, everyone’s dish will taste different. It’s a part of you on the plate.”
MAKE IT: CALLAO'S CLASSIC CEVICHE This basic recipe for the traditional Peruvian appetizer is highly customizable. Use whatever firm white fish you’d like. The acid in the lime juice will “cook” it, so serve the ceviche immediately to prevent the fish from getting rubbery. Makes enough for 10 people. Ingredients 3 cups fish broth 4 cups lime juice ½ cup celery, diced ½ cup yellow onion, finely chopped ¼ cup grated ginger ¼ cup salt 3 cups firm white fish, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 red onion, diced ¼ cup cilantro Combine the fish broth, lime juice, celery, yellow onion, grated ginger and salt in a large bowl. Add in the fish, red onion and cilantro. Serve immediately.