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Playing With Food

Playing With Peruvian Cuisine

By Fr. Ian Delinger
Published December 19, 2023 at 2:05 PM PST
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Jhackelin Catalina Vargas is from Peru and is the chef/owner of Coya Peruvian Restaurant in San Luis Obispo.
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Jhackelin Catalina Vargas is from Peru and is the chef/owner of Coya Peruvian Restaurant in San Luis Obispo.
Fr. Ian Delinger
Jhackelin makes Lomo Saltado, a classic Peruvian dish that is indicative of the Japanese influence in Peruvian cuisine and culture. Lomo is cooked in a very hot wok and served with fried potatoes.
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Jhackelin makes Lomo Saltado, a classic Peruvian dish that is indicative of the Japanese influence in Peruvian cuisine and culture. Lomo is cooked in a very hot wok and served with fried potatoes.
Fr. Ian Delinger
Jhackelin imports indigenous Peruvian staples, like quinoa and varios ajis or peppers.
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Jhackelin imports indigenous Peruvian staples, like quinoa and varios ajis or peppers.
Fr. Ian Delinger
Jhackelin wants to increase her business of importing indigenous Peruvian foods.
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Jhackelin wants to increase her business of importing indigenous Peruvian foods.
Fr. Ian Delinger
The workstation has a bit of a Peruvian flare.
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The workstation has a bit of a Peruvian flare.
Fr. Ian Delinger
Lomo Saltado with mushrooms. Menu development required considerations for the vegan and vegetarian population locally.
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Lomo Saltado with mushrooms. Menu development required considerations for the vegan and vegetarian population locally.
Fr. Ian Delinger
Fr. Ian and his friend Hans tried the Peruvian cuisine: Ceviche (L) and Pork Lomo Saltado and Tacu Tacu (Peruvian rice dish) Combination (R).
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Fr. Ian and his friend Hans tried the Peruvian cuisine: Ceviche (L) and Pork Lomo Saltado and Tacu Tacu (Peruvian rice dish) Combination (R).
Fr. Ian Delinger
A Pervuian Tamale is cooked in a banana leaf instead of the corn husk of Mexican tamales.
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A Pervuian Tamale is cooked in a banana leaf instead of the corn husk of Mexican tamales.
Fr. Ian Delinger

One would be forgiven for not thinking that Peruvian cuisine was popular on the Central Coast. But San Luis Obispo has TWO Peruvian Restaurants. And the next closest Peruvian Restaurant appears to be all the way in Thousand Oaks! The Playing With Food Team visited a small one-woman operation to explore Peruvian ingredients and flavors.


Playing With Food
Fr. Ian Delinger
Fr. Ian Delinger currently serves as Rector at St Stephen's Episcopal Church in San Luis Obispo. He was born on the Central Coast, and was raised in both rural western Nebraska and on the Central Coast. He studied Chemistry at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri. Then, he moved to the Silicon Valley where he was as a project manager in a consulting firm which specializes in environmental, health and safety issues for the semiconductor manufacturing industry and other high technology industries, followed by a couple of stints in corporate events management and marketing.
See stories by Fr. Ian Delinger