The Roanoker - July/August 2021 - 113

O
ver the past decades, Roanoke's food story has become
an ever-widening tale of lands far away. Italy, Greece,
Brazil, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Japan...these are just
some of the many cuisines giving expression to the
Star City's dining experience. With the addition of
Inka Grill two years ago, Roanoke now boasts a food story
that includes Peru, a country whose foods are truly the best
expression of its rich and storied past.
Inka Grill owner, Percy Rojas, was born and raised in Lima,
Peru. He spent his childhood helping prepare meals and
engaging daily in the life and activity of his family's kitchen.
When it came time for Rojas to decide on a profession, he
chose the medical field. But he didn't pass the test for university
entrance. Rojas easily shifted course, going to work in a French
restaurant instead.
Rojas says he fell in love with the fast-paced environment
of the kitchen. While many people find the atmosphere of
professional kitchens chaotic and intimidating, Rojas found it
energizing. He loved working under pressure and found he had
a natural talent for learning the chef's trade.
After several years working in Peru, Rojas decided to branch
out on his own. He moved first to Costa Rica, then Orlando,
Florida and eventually to Miami. In each place, Rojas followed
the same pattern: first working in established restaurants, then
opening his own Peruvian-themed places. Rojas says his time in
Miami was especially important for him. It was while working
in some of Miami's most elite dining establishments Rojas
discovered and developed his own recipes which make up the
menu of Inka Grill.
Rojas says Roanoke's steady growth in the tourism industry
drew him to the area. He saw potential for Peruvian food
to thrive. He also had friends who already lived in Roanoke
encouraging him to come and helping his family transition
from coastal living to Blue Ridge mountain life.
While Rojas has found the reception to Peruvian cuisine in
Roanoke a pleasant one, he also says he's had to adjust his foods
to fit with Roanokers' less spicy palate.
" In Miami, we can have a spicy menu, " says Rojas. " In
Roanoke, we have to tamp down the spices a bit. "
Rojas chuckles a little about this. However, he admits his
preference is for less spicy foods, rather than overly spiced. He
goes on to explain that topographically Peru can be divided into
three regions: the Pacific coastal region, the Andes mountain
region, and the Amazon tropics region. Each of these regions
produce foods vast in their differences and unique to their
climates and soils. But these foods don't stay in their individual
regions.
" Everyone and everything goes through Lima, " says Rojas.
" And this makes a fusion [of food] which is Peru. "
This " fusion " of cuisines isn't only geographic, limited to
Peru's Pacific location in South America. Peru's foods tell
a deeply historic and international tale. Before the Spanish
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The Roanoker - July/August 2021

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