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Peruvians lash out at Martín Caparrós over his dismissal of their cuisine as “cold fish”
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Culture & Society

Peruvians lash out at Martín Caparrós over his dismissal of their cuisine as “cold fish”

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Argentine writer and journalist Martín Caparrós faced a backlash in Peru after describing the country’s cuisine as “cold fish” while praising Mexico’s culinary tradition.
  • Peruvian writers, journalists and social media users criticized the remarks, saying they reduced a diverse cuisine to a single dish.
  • The controversy revived memories of a 2012 backlash against Peruvian writer Iván Thays over his criticism of Peruvian food.

Martín Caparrós has sparked an online backlash in Peru after saying the country had managed to establish itself as a destination for good food even though its cuisine amounted to “cold fish.” He made the comparison with Mexican food during an interview on Spain’s Cadena SER program Gastro SER, broadcast on Aug. 9.

Caparrós said Mexico represented “the great Latin American gastronomy, without any doubt.” He described Mexican cuisine as one of the world’s great culinary traditions, alongside those of China, India and parts of the West.

When you know almost nothing about a subject, it is better not to give an opinion, even if your name is Martín Caparrós.

— Martin ScheuchThe Peruvian writer criticized Caparrós on X.

Peruvians reacted after the comments were rebroadcast by public television channel TV Perú on Tuesday. Social media filled with criticism and insults aimed at the Argentine writer and his unfavorable view of Peruvian cuisine.

Martín Caparrós is the Latin American creator of the pose of an empty intellectual.

— Paolo BenzaThe journalist condemned Caparrós’s comments.

Writer Martin Scheuch replied on X: “When you know almost nothing about a subject, it is better not to give an opinion, even if your name is Martín Caparrós.” Journalist Paolo Benza called Caparrós “the Latin American creator of the pose of an empty intellectual,” while journalist Julio Vílchez said the remarks showed “his supreme gastronomic ignorance, motivated by a limited palate.” Economist Juan Carlos Odar wrote: “Say you do not know Peruvian cuisine without saying you do not know Peruvian cuisine.”

One user, María Saco, said she liked Caparrós and could not stand the country’s gastronomic boom, but added that reducing Peru’s culinary variety to “only cold fish” showed he did not know as much as he believed. The reactions also recalled the public cancellation of Peruvian writer Iván Thays in 2012, after he described Peruvian food in El País as indigestible and unhealthy.

His supreme gastronomic ignorance, motivated by a limited palate.

— Julio VílchezThe journalist described what he believed the remarks revealed.

Peruvian cuisine includes more than ceviche, its signature dish. It draws on ancestral traditions from the coast, Andes and Amazon, as well as Spanish, Italian, African, Chinese and Japanese influences.

Say you do not know Peruvian cuisine without saying you do not know Peruvian cuisine.

— Juan Carlos OdarThe economist mocked Caparrós’s characterization of Peruvian food.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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