Teresa Izquierdo

Teresa Izquierdo (March 10, 1934 – July 27, 2011) was a noted Peruvian master chef. Affectionately known as "the mother of Peruvian food", she founded the renowned restaurant El Rincón Que No Conoces ("The corner you don´t know"), in a working-class neighbourhood of Lima, receiving acclaim within and outside of the country as one of the chief proponents of traditional coastal criollo cuisine. Characteristically humble, she insisted in interviews on being called a cook rather than a chef. A contest for the top soup-kitchen chefs is named after her.

Biography Teresa Izquierdo was born in Lince District, Lima Province, Peru, in humble circumstances. Her father was from Rímac District and her mother from Cañete. Of African heritage, Teresa was taught at a very early age how to cook recipes inherited from her grandmother by her mother, who was sought after as a cook by wealthy houses in the capital. Teresa discovered her own culinary talent at eight years of age when she successfully took charge of the kitchen after her mother fell ill.

In 1978 Izquierdo decided to open her own restaurant, named "El Rincon Que No Conoces" (El RQNC), initially launched to sell desserts in the streets of Lince, drawing on her Afro-Peruvian background to produce high-quality traditional dishes.

Awards and legacy Izquierdo was the recipient of many honours, and shortly before her death was awarded the Orden al Mérito por Servicios Distinguidos (Merit Order for Distinguished Services) in the Gran Oficial ranking. El Rincón que no Conoces is now under the direction of her daughter, Elena Santos Izquierdo.