Ep. 1613 Geovanna Nuñez | The Next Generation

Since two thousand and seventeen, the Italian wine podcast has exploded. Recently hitting six million listens support us by buying a copy of Italian wine unplugged two point o or making a small donation. In return, we'll give you the chance to nominate a guest and even win lunch with Steve Kim and Professor Atilio Shenza. Find out more at Italian One podcast dot com. Welcome to the next generation with me, your host Victoria Cetje. This is your podcast to learn about all the cool things Italians thirty and under are up to in the food and wine scene. And yes, that includes all the best things to eat. Hello, everyone. Welcome to the new next generation, where we are going to be talking to folks who are thirty and under thirty, under thirty minutes of learning about a groovy person in the food and beverage world, the Italian food and beverage world. But today, we have a special edition. We're stepping outside of Italy, and we are traveling to Ecuador with Giovanni Nunez Hello, Joanna. Hello, everyone. I'm Topana. I'm currently living in Italy, and I have, like, travel a bit around the world, but I really appreciate the gooey theme from Ecuador. So I'm here to tell you a bit about it. Wonderful. So Ecuador is obviously in South America. Even though Giovanni's living in Italy, it's definitely, I would say, making you miss the food from home. And so we wanna know a little bit about you first. How old are you first of all? I'm twenty nine years old. I'm here doing my studies, my master's studies, by working the digital marketing field, but I'm also food lover and I like to try food from everywhere. Wonderful. And so what is your position? So my actual position is doing social media, stuff in with the Italian buying podcast. So yeah, I basically do all the social media. Yeah. So we work together. Well, anyways, so tell me one thing that tells me you're thirty with well, you're thirty. You're not thirty yet. Tell me you're under thirty without telling me you're under thirty. Like, what's one thing someone like your age does? I the first thing that comes to my mind and talking also about food is that I think it's really typical for people under thirty that you go through all the social media channels, Instagram, TikTok and Binter, saving all these cooking recipes, and then you'll never make any recipes. So you have all the, like, fine, like, with all these pictures and videos of the recipes, and you never make it. That's so true because, like, not to throw us under the bus most of us don't have families or mouths to feed. We're just like running home, eating whatever's in the pantry. Yeah. Exactly. Like, you see and say like, oh, this looks amazing. I will do this for myself tonight, and then you end up buying a sandwich or a pizza. Literally, especially here when you get back from work and you're just like oh, I see there's that pizza place over there. It's looking a lot greater than that tuna salad thing I'm gonna make. Oh my gosh. So back to you and Ecuador. So tell us what is a signature dish of your family, like something maybe you're, of, well, I would make for you. In my family, even though I grow up in the mountain side, we love seafood. So in Ecuador, you first need to know that you have the three regions, which is the coast, the mountains and the rainforest. So each of the re these regions, have different kind of food. I mean, my family will love seafood. So I will say that our main dish is the ceviche. As you might have heard. Like, it's a typical dish like actually many places in South America, but what we do is that we prepare the fish and we cook the fish in lemon. So we let the fish to cook in lemon, like, four hours. And then, like, just putting basic things like onions, peppers, tomatoes, a little bit more lemon, sometimes a little bit of orange, and then that's basically very simple. And then of course, like what makes the ceviche ecuadorian, I will say, is also like the things we put on top. So we normally put green plantain chips, sometimes popcorn with sounds weird popcorn. Yeah. Which I know sounds weird, but it is good and sometimes rice. But does the popcorn not get soggy or you just put it, like, right on top so you take a bite and still Yeah. Exactly. You don't have it yet. Two kids. Oh, that sounds super good. And maybe this is a controversial question, but I feel like outside of Ecuador or South America, people typically think Savice is Peruvian. Right? But is it something that's actually Yeah. I mean, that's the thing. Peru also has, like, its own ceviche, but it's made in a different way. Mhmm. So they actually add this kind of, like, milk thing on the sauce. That's why they also call it, like, which looks like the base from for the Ceviche. So that's why I'm saying, like, everyone has, like, I think there is also Ceviche in Mexico, but I guess it's also different for us. Oh, that's so funny because I've seen that on menus before the lecture that, the t good. Sorry. And, yeah, because there's quite a few, peruvian restaurants, not in Italy, but in, on the East Coast and, in the state. But it's super cool. So is that something you grew up eating? Yeah. Like, that's the typical dish we normally make during the weekends. So all the family gets together and we make this big bulk of ceviche and the thing is we love beer in Ecuador. So the beef has to be, like, really cold. So ceviche and a beer, like, a really cool beer is like the best combination. So before I get to what you're drinking, I have a question. Is the fish in the ceviche? What kind of fish do you use in the ceviche? So normally, this one, it could be this one called Corvina. Corvina is like a typical one. So, yeah, don't like a basic, like, fish. Nothing like a special. Okay. So it's like a is, I'm I don't know if I know. It's not is it local Corvina? Is that from Yeah. It's fish off of. Okay. Yeah. Of course. That makes sense. Especially if you have to get it and then also get it if you're up in the mountains. Yes. It's like I don't know if you've seen the geography of Ecuador, but it's the you have the Andes mountain range there. Those are pretty high pee, but and it's also probably why you drink lower alcohol things because if you drink high alcohol in higher altitude, you feel it very fast. Wine to wine business forum. Everything you need to get ahead in the world of wine, supersize your business network. Share business ideas with the biggest voices in the industry. Join us in verona on November thirteen to fourteen twenty twenty three. Tickets available now at point blind dot net. You already answered the next question I have for you. It's like, what would you pay for pair with the ceviche, but you say beer is the go to pairing? Yeah. Normally, most aquarium people will eat the ceviche with beer. But then you can also I mean, if we are going, like, to the fancy side of the dish, I guess you can also pair it with any kind of, white wine or like a sparkling that it has to be cold, of course. So I will say I don't know, like, prosthetic or something like that. Have you ever seen anyone pair it with wine before in Ecuador? I think there are some restaurants where you can have it, but they normally, I mean, like a Ecuadorian, really, Padoria. I don't think we'll never like us. Yeah. That's how you know if you go to pull out a bottle, because you're like, boom. Yeah. You know what, you know, you're eating them. So what kind of beer do you usually drink in Ecuador? I think it's like a normal, like, beyond the like a blonde ale. Yeah. Blonde. Is there a certain brand? Yeah. We have this one that is, like, the main one in Ecuador is called built in there. That normally, you will find, and all the soccer teams in all the events and stuff. And then we have, like, another one that's called club. But it's a little bit, like, stronger than the piece in there. So, yeah. Interesting. I love how beers so regional in some way. Even if some of them are all owned by the same brand, like, the, you know, the big large scale produced beers, but it it's always funny, especially in Latin America. Like, everyone has, like Yeah. I mean, if you think, like, the country next to us, Columbia, they also have this club, but it's like, it's different. Yeah. It's so easy for him even though he has the same name. And you have to know. Isn't that funny? It's kinda it's it's really your beer order when you travel to South America Latin America, it'll tell where you're from. I mean, if I'm obviously a gringo, but If that wasn't already obvious, what I ordered a drink will be like, oh, yeah. She's a great girl. Like, she's Yeah. It's like and when you were living in Ecuador, what were people your age drinking, or what are they drinking? So as I said, I think we mostly drink a lot of beer, and then I will say spirits. And, like, also we have this Ecuadorian ones. There's one called Canyon Manavita, It's basically a spirit made from the sugar cane. It's really strong, but young people likes to drink that. I don't know why, but then I can say, wine is also very common. I mean, I use during a lot of wine with my friends and also in my family, normally, when we have big dinners, big lunch, we normally have wine. For me, especially I would say, right, red wine. Red wine. Yes. And is it usually from South America? Or Yeah. I think most of the wines normally are or from Chile, Argentina. No Brazilian sparkling wine. Oh, no brands. And you know what? Actually, when I got here, I realize that it's hard to find like Italian wines and egg butter. I mean, the easiest you can find them from Europe might be Spain. They may be friends, but Italian wines are not that common. Do you think there's a demand for it at all? I mean, it should be because, I mean, we all know that Italian wine is very popular and very good, but I don't know why we are not getting it. Except. That is sad. Hey, anyone who needs to start an import business looks like there is a lacking in Ecuador. It is, please. So even would that go also for sparkling like a prosecco, like you wouldn't really see a prosecco in Ecuador either? Yeah. Actually, I think I discovered prosecco when I go over here. Wow. Really? Yeah. That's see, that's fascinating because obviously there's different markets. Like, for, you know, but you said red wine is more popular. Yeah. I think, especially in the mountains because, I mean, if we drink wine, we won't be drinking, like, the cold ones, something because, of course, it's cold. There. So we prefer, I think, because of that, they're red wine. Yeah. Because it's it's chillier there. And Yeah. Georgia is like here. We're in Italy. It's, I mean, fortunately in Verona. I mean, it's been hot, but it hasn't been like rolling, like, forty degrees. She's like, it's usually only like twenty one degrees where I'm from. And I'm like, oh, wow. You need to move to Ireland? There's something, because the parents Where they are feeling me? I know. It's it's it is beer weather though now. Like a cold beer in Ceviche weather Yeah. I lately, I have been just drinking beer, you know, because it's the time to drink beer. I know. Sorry. I know this is the Italian wine podcast, but, we have to talk about the facts. Speaking of that, What do you think is a trend you see in the food and beverage space in Ecuador in the future? So a trend I see is that people is starting, like, so we have a lot of these traditional dishes a lot of restaurants that are making, like, in a fancier way. A smaller portion with nice decoration and all the tourists like that. They like to try those because, I mean, it looks nicer. And still it has, like, the nice flavors of the typical dish. Yeah. So that's, like, becoming, like, more and more more more trending in each other. So what you're saying is perhaps the tourist economy is growing in Ecuador. And they're kind of mirroring, like, similar trends that are happening elsewhere with, like, presenting food in a very modern context. Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. Right. It's not like the traditional, like, typical play with the foot, but they're trying to show, like, in a mother wearing a different way. And that that opens up a big door for wine. Right? Because Yeah. Of course, because there it's a really good way to pair with wine. Absolutely. And it's more specific. Yes. There's one flavor, try it ex but I'm assuming does Ecuador have a big street food culture? Yes. Very big. Explain the beer too because, like, I mean, and you can drink wine, but it's you know, little cups and whatever, but beer. It's like you're in your it's in your hand. Yeah. Exactly. And do you have a favorite street food? Oh, I think that's really hard to decide, but French fries with sausages. Sausages? Sausages. Sausages? Sausages. I've heard of this. Oh my god. Yeah. It's amazing. So, yeah, basically, French fried with sausages, like, also cut, like, in little pieces. Mhmm. And then you have, like, mayonnaise and ketchup or at some time, like, a special sauce on top. It's amazing. And, basically, you can, like, find it, like, everywhere. Sometimes they put onions on top or something like that just to give it a little bit more of size. But, well, that sounds like the perfect drunk food. Yeah. That's what I was just going to say that that, yeah, that's something you will find of their midnight for sure. Oh, yeah. You have to make them here now. And I know fry making fries is a little hard, but like, yeah. I was right. Yes. You have to. Now before we wrap up, we have to do our five things under five minutes. So I'm gonna ask you five main points from our discussion today, and you need to answer in about one sentence or less. Anything you could do it? I'm with Fry. Okay. Awesome. Tell me where you're from. I'm from Make Weather. Can you describe the cuisine in one sentence? Diverse cuisine. Perfect. And the feature dish that we talked about today, What would you pair with it? Cold beer. Okay. And wine. Wide wine. Cool. And can you give us one trend that you see for the future of Ecuador's food and beverage scene with young people? Yeah. Like traditional food becoming more like modern food and fancy food. Perfect. Well, thank you so much, Giovanni. It was so fun to chat with you today, and I wish you all the best in Italy, and I can't wait for you to make all the ecuadorian food. Karen, you. Thank you, Toria. As always, a big Godte for hanging out with me today. Remember, you can catch me on the Italian wine podcast every Sunday and anywhere you can get your pots.