chef spotlight: Santiago Vargas

Chef Santiago was born in Lima – Perú, surrounded by flavors and traditions from the Andes. From a very young age, he loved the art of cooking. In 2008, he moved to New York City with a suitcase and a dream of becoming a gourmet chef. Since then, he’s worked renowned restaurants up and down the East Coast, from preparing dishes at high end Italian restaurants  in Long Island, NY, to serving up traditional barbecue in the American South. Before becoming a private caterer and chef, Santiago previously owned an award-winning food truck, Out of the Blue Peruvian Fusion Cuisine becoming the first to introduce authentic Peruvian flavor to the city of Asheville.​

When he set out to find his niche in Asheville’s food scene, Santiago realized that his true passion is for sharing the exquisite flavors of his home country. He cooks from the heart, an observation that is discernible in how he selects ingredients and lovingly prepares his dishes. His latest venture brings Santiago’s unique global flavors to a new spot in the S&W foodhall in Downtown Asheville. He hopes to breathe new life into the Asheville food scene with his Peruvian dishes and provide an exceptional international culinary experience.