Rodrigo Pacheco, Bocavaldivia | Celebrity Chef | Environmental Conservationist

The hero we’ll be spotlighting today is something of a celebrity within the world of culinary arts. A contestant on Netflix’s critically acclaimed cooking show The Final Table, Rodrigo Pacheco is arguably Ecuador’s most beloved chef. His restaurant Bocavaldivia is revolutionizing the culinary experience and creating a model for a more sustainable future. (We’ll expound upon all the heroic things Bocavaldivia is doing later.) First, let’s talk a little about Rodrigo’s background.

How Rodrigo Pacheco Discovered His Passion for Cooking

We asked Rodrigo how he discovered his passion for cooking. To our surprise, he had begun to show a love for the art from as young as two years old. He describes his childhood home’s kitchen as a place where he was constantly “visiting a relationship,” whether it be his relationship with his family or with the food his family cooked. There was a sense of comfort and community surrounding the preparation of food, which he strives to preserve in all his culinary endeavours.

According to a Mr and Mrs Smith interview with Rodrigo, his skills in the kitchen were supplementary to his skills as a young fisherman: “I was a fisherman first, so I learnt how to catch and prepare food from the ocean,” he says.
Rodrigo Pacheco Hones His Skills in France

As a young man, Rodrigo briefly left his native Ecuador to study culinary arts at Institut Paul Bocuse, a highly revered French culinary school. Combining the precision of French cuisine with that of his own culture, he soon became a member of the French Culinary Academy. He landed jobs as a chef at French restaurants with Michelin stars, including Alain Chapel, La Palme d’Or, and Michel Bras.