Menu
Warike is a Peruvian restaurant located in Surry Hills, a suburb known for its many nice restaurants.
We started as a pop-up just two years ago. It has been so exciting to see people enjoying our food! We were lucky enough to open our own restaurant and share our passion for food with more people.
“Warike” is often used in Peru to refer to a hidden restaurant where people can eat delicious food. These restaurants don’t usually advertise and rely on word of mouth. We chose the name of our restaurant because it was how we started—one person telling another.
The first being “wa” in which referred to everything that was unknown, or that was hidden in secret. The second is “rique” which means stew. The word “Warike” means a hidden and secret place where one can enjoy one of the greatest pleasures of life: food.
In the first place, Peru’s culinary history is anchored by the Incas, who found success cultivating crops on the high Andean Plateau. The food of the Incas, as well as its culture, were one with nature. The Incan diet included corn, potatoes, quinoa and other edible plants that were native to Peru.
Peruvian cuisine today is a diverse fusion of indigenous Peruvian cultures. Especially the Incas, and imported cuisines brought in by immigrants, including Spanish, Italian, German and Chinese.
Warike was born in the search for the perfect pairing between the flavours of Peru and the best products available in Sydney.
Our Chef, Hector Chunga, brings through his dishes the flavours of Peru, seasoned with a pinch of Australian cuisine. Our menu is inspired by Hector’s childhood experiences growing up in Peru. His unique style of cooking is heavily influenced by his mother’s cooking, which highlighted the dishes from the Coast of Peru.
Hector is a graduate of Instituto de Alta Cocina D’Gallia, a leading culinary school in Lima and has worked as a chef in Peru, Japan and Australia.
Hector’s experience in Japan was the most interesting part of his career as a chef. Traveling to Japan was a life-changing experience for him. He worked at the Peruvian Embassy, while trying to figure out how to make Japanese and Peruvian cuisine work together. Being in a country so foreign and different was exciting, but hard at the same time. Hector spent time learning about the culture of this foreign country and its traditions, so he could better integrate into society there. As a result, he became quite popular with high-ranking officials who knew that they could count on Hector to provide excellent food. Experience in Japan was an invaluable learning experience for him—and it inspired him to pursue similar opportunities in other countries outside of Peru.
Hector then took his extensive experience and brought it to Australia, where he has been able to share his passion for Peruvian food with locals and newcomers alike.
As a result, our chef loves being able to talk about the history of recipes and the evolution of gastronomy in Peru, which is influenced by cuisines from many countries.
So come down to Warike and share some delicious Peruvian cuisine with us!
