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Lauren Cedeno, Grace Ramirez, Valerie Chang & Lynnette Marrero
Lauren Cedeno, Grace Ramirez, Valerie Chang & Lynnette Marrero

 

CELEBRATING PAN-LATINO CULTURE
AT MATY'S IN MIAMI

To kick off Hispanic Heritage Month, Cherry Bombe and Zacapa Rum hosted a dinner to celebrate and honor Pan-Latino culture at Maty's in Miami to bring together culinary creatives and to celebrate Chef Valerie Chang, one of the most exciting young chefs in the city—and the country at large. Earlier this year, Chef Valerie won a James Beard Best Chef Award and she’s gotten raves for her work at Maty’s, the restaurant where she celebrates her Peruvian culture and family.

The menu featured some of Valerie’s greatest hits, including scallop ceviche with grapes and burnt serrano peppers, grouper with ají limo leche de tigre, and dorade with ají amarillo beurre blanc. For dessert, everyone enjoyed the suspiro limeño (Peruvian custard).

The cocktails paired with each course were created by star mixologist Lynnette Marrero, author and co-founder of Speed Rack. Highlights included her Zacapa Yapa Milk Punch with Zacapa 23, cinnamon, star anise, chirimoya, passionfruit, banana, lemon verbena & green teas, lime, and soy milk, and her XO Cafe Atitlan with Zacapa XO Rum, Guatemalan cold brew, mole bitters, spiced cacao, and coconut mist.

During dinner, Cherry Bombe’s Kerry Diamond moderated a panel with Valerie; Lynnette; Chef Grace Ramirez, author, activist, and Zacapa ambassador; and Lauren Cedeño, director of operations for Maty’s and Itamae AO, the restaurant connected to Maty’s and run by Valerie’s brother, Chef Nando Chang.

The women shared how their heritage has influenced their culinary paths, the importance of community, storytelling through food, and their strong connections to their families. “Ancestors, keep me in line!” said Valerie, pointing to the wall behind her lined with Chang family photos. To that, everyone raised a glass.

Photos by Brooke Davanzo

Ron Zacapa Rum. 40% alc/vol. Imported by The Ron Zacapa Co. New York, NY.
Drink responsibly. Don’t share with people under 21.

 


Thank you to our partner

Zacapa Rum