What’s made up-and-coming Venezuelan chef Julio Sanchez the bomb is his love for serving trendy food at all types of events, from brunches to grad parties to weddings. An expert at innovating, Chef Julio is transforming the catering and event scene in Quito, the capital city of Ecuador.
I first found his catering and event company Chiringuitos as I was scrolling through delicious food ‘grams at home. I was happy to know he is currently hosting the most amazing events in Quito, my hometown, and his clients couldn’t be happier.
To my surprise, I found that traditional catering companies are getting stuck behind as Julio has revolutionized event food. A few of his staple dishes are sushi burritos, Nutella pancakes, smoothie bowls and avocado-salmon toast.
The following dishes are far away from anything I’ve seen at events in Quito before. Take a look at some of his drool-worthy creations. They all scream #Goals.
Plantain Cheese Sticks With Guac
Plantains are a very traditional coastal ingredient. Food made with them reigns in countries such as Venezuela, Ecuador and Colombia. Chef Julio has given them a twist here, making cheese sticks out of the plantain dough, assigning guac as the dipping sauce to contrast those flavors. Clients go crazy over this appetizer.
Coconut-Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Coconut, as we know, is becoming really popular. Although whole coconuts may be hard to get and expensive in the US, in South America, that’s usually not the case. That’s why Chef Julio can make amazing coconut peanut butter ice cream and then serve it at his events.
Blue Cheese Chicken Nuggets with Marinara
Again for cheese-loving customers, Chef Julio has come up with these glorious blue cheese nuggets, topped with a savory marinara sauce. Pair them with chopsticks, and you’ve got an adorable mini snack to pass around. Just look at the detail put into those!
Sushi Burritos
Ever dreamed of having sushi burritos at your next sleepover? Chef Julio is an expert at that. Not only does he use fresh fish from the coast of Ecuador, but his ingredients are as fresh as fresh can get, too. Forget artificial colors and preservatives.
S’mores Pancakes
Chef Julio will make all your brunch dreams come true. He uses the finest Ecuadorian chocolate for his food. He also suggests not taking too many pics, as your food may get cold.
Pink Grapefruit Gin and Champagne
These beautiful drinks add the perfect touch of elegance to your event. They’re an original creation, and they show just exactly how Chef Julio brings innovation to everything he puts his mind to — not just food.
Mini Arepa Sandwiches
One of his coolest recipes, which is very easy to prepare, cheap to make, and great at any time of the day, is mini carrot arepas.
It was love at first bite for me when I tried them. So go out, buy some corn flour and get ready to impress your roommates with mini-arepa sandwiches.
Arepas are one of Venezuela’s oldest and most popular recipes, dating back to many indigenous communities that first inhabited the country. They are pancake-like, corn-based disks that can be made big or small. They can be enjoyed with the filling you crave or on their own.
Here’s the recipe. Tag @chiringuitos on Instagram with your arepa photos to see if you can impress Chef Julio with your international cuisine 😉