La Tía Rica prepares Pastel de Jaiba
A traditional Chilean dish, Pastel de Jaiba is a crab casserole with cheese that comes originally from the capital, Santiago de Chile. Just like Francisco Javier de la Parra, head of La Tía Rica in Berlin.
Dad, daughter and a wealthy aunt
"La tía rica means rich aunt. Tía = aunt, rica = rich. In Chile, that's a pseudonym for when you unexpectedly get money and in using it, we're referring to a pawn shop in Santiago de Chile. If someone there asks why you have money, then you say, I was at la tía rica, at my rich aunt's." - Bianca de la Parra
Chile in Charlottenburg
La Tía Rica has been in western Berlin since 2012. The menu is seasonal, just like Chilean cuisine, but Francisco Javier de la Parra likes to invent new recipes. It's not just the food that's authentic - the father and daughter team set up the restaurant in a way that you might also find it in Chile.
A class of its own
The tablecloths were handmade in Germany according to originals provided by the de la Parras. A lot of the other accessories they brought with them from Chile. Before Francisco Javier de la Parra opened his restaurant, he asked the German-Chilean Chamber of Commerce how many Chilean restaurants already existed in Berlin. The answer? "None!" That only made him more confident to open La Tia Rica.
A bit of assistance with the menu and wine menu
"At the opening, I had three women who hadn't even looked in the menu there. They said, we want three chili con carne and three margaritas. I had to tell them, we don't eat chili con carne or drink margaritas in Chile. We have, however, Pisco sour, which is much better. There's a lot to be explained here: what is Chile, where is Chile, what we eat there, who we are." - Bianca de la Parra
Chilean deli
Chile, in the southwest of South America, has a more than 4,000 kilometer-long coastline. The cuisine is heavily influenced by the sea and reflects the different climatic regions. The dish here, a crab casserole baked in cheese, is a traditional one and is eaten the whole year through in Chile. In Germany, however, it's more of a summer dish.