On this Father’s Day, the ‘masterchef’ Andrés Arrata asks us to resume the habit of eating more often as a family | People | Entertainment

For those who followed the photographer’s participation Andrew Arrata in the third edition of Master Chef EcuadorUntil his victory in the final, it is not a surprise to learn at this point of his infatuation with his family.

On more than one occasion, Andrés took advantage of the space in the program, on the air until February of this year, to remember his favorite moments at home: when he can cooking in the company of his children and his beloved wife, ‘la Ceci’ (Cecilia Viera).

The Arrata Viera in Galapagos: Matilde, Andrés, Cecilia and Andrés David. Photo: Courtesy Andrés Arrata

That is why Arrata has inspired us in this Father’s day to investigate his current project and the most important of his life: his family living together in a new territory, the Galapagos Islands.

While Andrew culminated his stage in the well-known reality show kitchen together with his family he started another at the beginning of this year. “My wife applied for a job at the bank agency where she works, for a branch in Santa Cruz,” she recalls. Taking advantage of their children Matilda (14 years old) and David Andrew (of 11) did not attend a physical school and that Andrés’s profession allows him to work remotely, they did not hesitate before the proposal.

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From Guayaquil to Galapagos, how has this change been?

The leisurely and stealthy life in Galapagos seems to combine with Andrés, who on television projected a relaxed and serene personalityvery open to share your spirituality. Through this video call interview, he shows a window that overlooks a patio surrounded by lush greenery. “There’s my meditation space”, he points to me. “This is perfect, I feel super comfortable here”.

For his children, he feels that the transition has also been positive. “The pandemic took away a bit of their structure normal life. We put them in a school on-line The last two years. So her life was computer-centric… Getting them out of the house really wasn’t complicated”.

The hard part for the boys has been, ironically, reconnect to the internetto communicate with friends and family on the mainland and, well, to also plug into the online video games to which they were accustomed, since the speed on the islands is not the same as what they left in Guayaquil.

“It is the part that cost them the most”, jokes Andrés, although now his children have the opportunity to live as many children did in previous decades. “They made friends quickly here, although there aren’t many houses, it just so happens that where we live there are children their age. Also, the school is ten minutes away by bicycle. Then, they have an old neighborhood lifequiet, they move and leave without any problem”.

The leisurely life in Galapagos seems to combine with Andrés, who on television projected a relaxed and serene personality, very open to sharing his spirituality in which his family accompanies him. Photo: Courtesy

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‘How is your dad?’

to get to know a little how is Andrés Arrata as a father I asked those who know him best in this regard, his children. Intelligent, kind, respectful and very creative are the words chosen by Matildahis first daughter, who at all times felt that she should support her father in his television adventure.

“I say that he is a good person, he is funny, because he is like a child, but bigger”, highlights the minor, David Andrewwho instead was concerned that the Colombian chef Jorge Rausch He will challenge his dad a lot on screen.

On the other hand, he is not one of those fathers who gets very brave or very strict, adds Mati, as Andrés calls him. “He gives you the explanation of why something happened and how to fix it, there may be a punishment, but no more of that.”

When she grows up, she shares the teenager she would like to be kindergarten teacherworking with children is something that from now on she sees herself doing later with great passion, while she is in her tenth year of general education. David, for his part, now dreams of being a plane pilot.. “Suddenly I started to like airplanes. It seems to me that it is a very funny thing”, comments the seventh year student.

What they do agree on is that they love their dad’s seasoning. For David, Andrés makes some very special burgers. “He makes them with ground meat, but he makes a special dough because he puts onions in it, and also lentils,” she reveals.

But what everyone at home likes the most are the pizzawhich they prepare as a family. “When we cook together it is very cool, because my brother and I go and help him,” adds Matilde. One makes the dough, usually Andrés; another the sauce; another puts the cheese mixture; and the others place the rest of toppings and sausages, especially bacon and pepperonias David loves.

Photo: Courtesy

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Andrés, a dad at home and very lucky

The call of fatherhood comes in many ways. In the case of Andrés Arrata, it happened when he had been married for around six years. He became a father at the age of 33.

“I always liked children and I had always wanted to have children. It was beautiful when Matilde arrived”. The girl not only changed her immediate way of life, but in the long term.

“I took a month off to be with the baby for the first month and it was interesting. My wife did not do as well at the C-section and she had a heavy convalescence. So I was able to help a lot to take care of the girl for the whole first month.”

On the islands, Andrés Arrata and his family are cultivating more activities outdoors and in harmony with nature. Photo: Courtesy

A year later, Andrés decided undertake and that’s how it became advertising photographer freelancing. “I left my office at an advertising agency and decided to open my photo studio at home. I spent the next ten years at home. We grew up with the kids together”.

The creative recognizes that not many parents have the opportunity to be a stay home dad, or parent who works from home, and be more physically present in their children’s daily lives. “I loved it. I think it was important for them and for me too, in my personal growth”. As he says that fatherhood caught him “very big”, she also reached it with greater maturity.

“At 33, 34 you are old enough to compare, realize and reason what the others are doing wrong. I feel that reasoning is clearer than when you are 25 or 26 years old. Here you think a little more and then you control yourself, you also have a little more patience”, reflects the amateur chef.

That is why he believes that the sum of all these factors made him a very lucky dad. “I think it’s a good idea to have the children a little older, At least it worked for us! We have some good kids.”

The dynamics of the Arrata

Now that the children have grown, and continue to grow, Andrés and his wife have considered it opportune that they learn certain tasks at home, with increasing difficulty, such as wash your dishes, your clothes and cook. But, as the boys already sentenced, and as all of Ecuador saw, the best dishes come from his father.

For this, Andrés gets up very early every morning to do the breakfast. “I make them some Parmesan Roasted Tomatoes usually with toast and avocado, maybe a chopped fruit for the kids. Or some quesadillas with flour tortillas.” On weekends the recipes are more elaborate and you can taste green pattiesamong others.

This is what a weekend looks like for the Arratas.

Once the children go to school and his wife goes to work, Andrés’ exclusive schedule starts. “I shower, do my meditation, and start my workday,” he says. He occasionally wanders around the town where he lives, looking for something to eat or cook for lunch, depending on the day’s load. Just in case, they have a person who helps them in this task.

In the middle of the afternoon, around 3:00 p.m., he resumes his work and the children, their schoolwork. At 18:00 they go for a walk and look for dinner.

Weekends are obviously different. They spend a day at the beach, be it in Turtle Bay or in Germans. And on Sundays, like today, the food is also more special. Possibly it will be an afternoon of the Pizza homemade that makes your family so happy. “The Pizza She is always the winner!” she expresses.

cooking lessons

The kitchen has helped to simmer many of the teachings that Andrés Arrata wants to instill with great love in his children Mati and Juan David. “Whoever wants to eat has to help cook” It is your first lesson.

“If they prepare what they eat, it teaches them to eat different things and to value a little what is behind a preparation, when they realize the effort and work they even enjoy it more”.

Another dish that fascinates the Arrata are the chugchucarasa kind of ‘highland flag’. It is a dish from Latacunga with fritada, mote, toast, canguil, potato, broad bean, mejido empanadas, sweet plantain, pork rinds and salad or sour Creole.

This is a recipe that everyone collaborates on and they usually choose when they receive visitors, something that also happens on a day like today. And that’s the second lesson from him. “I have always said that cooking is one of the greatest acts of love that exist. You can tell others how much you love them without words… Kitchens are the axis of houses, from there the transmission of love begins”.

Therefore, the last teaching of the cook amateur it is that families meet more often at the tables and chat together. “The family no longer has time to eat at home. It is not the fault of the people, but of the hustle and bustle of society. But we have to somehow or another, at least once a week, get back into the habit of all sitting around a kitchen and eating the food that comes out of the person who loves us.”

On this Father’s Day, the ‘masterchef’ Andrés Arrata asks us to resume the habit of eating more often as a family | People | Entertainment