INTERVIEW
Natalia Echeverri | Culinary diplomacy in London.
Echeverri: “In five years’ time I see myself as a professional with a high command of Colombian cuisine, representing my home country. I have no doubt about that.”
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Meet our student Natalia Echeverri, Head Chef at the Embassy of Colombia in the United Kingdom. Natalia has participated in many events with distinguished guests, including multiple visits by the Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, ambassadors from various diplomatic missions in London and top personalities from the world of politics, culture, sport and business.
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In recent years, Natalia has also been involved in the annual Colombian Food Festival, where she has had the opportunity to work with top Colombian chefs Harry Sasson, Diana García and Juanita Umaña.
KEYLA GARCIA | LONDON | 21st AUG 2015
Natalia Echeverri, Head Chef of the Colombian Embassy in the United Kingdom.
Natalia is a woman committed to her home country, Colombia. She tells us that when she moved to the UK, her goals were to grow professionally and to learn from the numerous cultures coexisting here. Today she is responsible for the first ever presentation of Colombian cuisine at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in London. Natalia spares a Saturday afternoon to chat with Keyla García about what it is like to be the Head Chef of the Colombian Embassy in the United Kingdom, her plans for the future and her experience studying English.
Question. What is a normal day like in your life?
Answer. There aren’t many of them! It depends on the schedule of the Ambassador [H.E. Néstor Osorio, Ambassador of Colombia in the United Kingdom] and the rest of the team. I speak daily with our suppliers, I do the shopping and I organise the fresh produce. Not all our events are the same, so we need to change our menu constantly. Some events require a Colombian menu, for instance those taking place at the embassy or at the consulate. Other times an international menu is more appropriate.
“...we have welcomed guests such as writers or sports personalities who were able to understand and taste a little of Colombian culture through our cuisine.”
I work with different audiences, and thank God they are always happy with the food we prepare at the Embassy. I have had the opportunity of showcasing our food to diplomats and personalities from all over Europe. Ultimately, I have to be prepared for each of our guests and their needs. During our last event, we entertained a group of students. It is one of the most emotional events I remember. At the Embassy we support students from Colombia who are doing their master’ s degrees or PhDs; we enjoy making them feel at home during our events, so they can feel there is a helping hand nearby. For a few minutes we manage to take them back to Colombia through their own cuisine. During the London 2012 Olympic Games we also welcomed the athletes who came to compete; we organized an event to welcome them and a recognition event for the winners.
Q. Why did you choose Languages at Home to study English?
A. I have studied English since the age of 8. I have attended different English schools in the past, but it was not unusual for me to miss my classes due to my work commitments, so I kept falling behind. When you fall behind, you don’t understand your classes, you don’t pass your exams and you get discouraged. At Languages at Home I can change my schedule week by week; Jeremy [my tutor] is very flexible, and very disciplined. That is why I chose Languages at Home, because it makes things easy for me, my tutor works around my schedule, the classes are accessible and the fees are fair.
One of the benefits of studying with Languages at Home is that it suits my lifestyle; I can arrange my own schedule and study from home. Besides, my lessons are bespoke and very dynamic. My tutor has a great attitude and he is very reliable. When I first started my lessons, we focused on the presentation I was working on for Le Cordon Bleu. This has been virtually the greatest opportunity I have had to showcase Colombian food. From a professional point of view it has been one of the best things I have experienced. Thanks to the lessons with my teacher [the students at Le Cordon Bleu] were able to follow and understand my presentation; I was able to show my recipe, expand on it and talk about the ingredients. Now my tutor knows well what level I’m at, so we will carry on working on English specific to my profession.
Q. Why is it so important for you to improve your English?
A. I would like to improve my English not only for personal reasons, but also to further my career. Being able to speak English opens many doors, and I need to be able to communicate in England.
Natalia Echeverri during her culinary presentation at Le Cordon Bleu, London
Le Cordon Bleu pays tribute to Colombia in London for the first time ever.
On the 3rd of June, Natalia Echeverri was responsible for the first ever presentation of Colombian cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu in London. Le Cordon Bleu is a world renowned network of educational institutions dedicated to providing the highest level of culinary and hospitality instruction. Established in 1895, it has centres in over 30 countries.
Q. Le Cordon Bleu is one of the most prestigious institutions of its kind. What was it like?
A. That was the first ever opportunity to showcase Colombian food at Le Cordon Bleu. It is wonderful to be able to showcase our flavours at a professional event. It is great to see a Colombian event being promoted and people from all over the world showing up for it. It is like sharing a screenshot of your country, showing it in very small servings; each attendee takes away their perception of a country. I have the opportunity to become that filter, the person who represents so many Colombians in a single second through the taste of their culture.
... it is wonderful to be able to showcase our favours at a professional event.
Q. Tell us about your experience working at the Colombian Embassy in the United Kingdom.
R. A. It is wonderful to be able to witness the work our Ambassador is doing for Colombia, and the way he is involved in so many different things. His partner, Ms Paola Napoli, also plays a very active role during our events. She is always happy to share her knowledge of Italian cuisine during our culinary events, which I am very grateful about.
Since I first arrived [in the UK] I have seen many ambitious projects being carried out. I loved the exhibition the British Museum put together in London [Beyond El Dorado: power and gold in ancient Colombia, 2013-2014]; it made our culture accessible to all.
Anthropomorphic pectoral, Colombia, Tairona,
AD 900–1600. © Museo del Oro – Banco de la República, Colombia. Shown at British Museum’s ‘Beyond El Dorado: power and gold in ancient Colombia’, 2013-2014
[At the embassy] we are all working hard too so Colombia has a place in everyone’s heart and also to strengthen the image of our home country so it is appreciated [abroad], so it is trusted, so it attracts foreign investment, etc. We have held events to encourage collaboration amongst businesses working for the development of Colombia and its image as a nation, so we can all work together and create a society in which we can all grow at the same time.
Q. What has been the biggest challenge you have faced since you moved to the United Kingdom?
A. The language, but also to have to persuade people to believe in Colombian cuisine, to help them learn to welcome our flavours, to lead the way myself and to earn people’s trust towards my own work.
The Colombian Food Festival took place in London in November 2014. Natalia was involved in organising the event, which enjoyed great success.
"The most wonderful experience I have been part of was the Colombian Food Festival. It was a very ambitious project and we managed to reach many people with it. Part of the planning involved coming up with an estimate of the average number of visitors and participants who would attend the event. We made some calculations, and our forecast showed that around 1,300 people would visit us by the end of the day. By 2:00 pm alone, we had welcomed 1,300 people. We closed at 6:00 pm. The festival enjoyed an incredibly warm welcome, it was a very rewarding experience."
Q. Tell us about your recent experience working with Colombian chefs Juanita Umaña and Diana García.
A. I loved them both and feel profound gratitude towards them. They are currently the chefs with the greatest knowledge of Colombian cuisine. Their broad knowledge is second to none; they are highly trained women who studied abroad. Their research and their published work are opening many doors for Colombian cuisine.
Natalia works alongside chefs Juanita Umaña and Diana García
Plans for the future.
Q. Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
A. In five years’ time I see myself as a professional with a high command of, not only nutrition, but also of Colombian cuisine, representing my home country. I have no doubt about that. I would love to be in London, that is why my English has to be perfect; otherwise I will not be able to achieve my goals. I also want to continue my work as a gastronomy instructor. My English course at Languages at Home is the first step before I start working towards other qualifications in London and continue to strengthen my career. I would love to enrich my career path by studying nutrition. I would like to carry on learning about different health issues, understand what goes on inside one’s body and treat such problems with an appropriate diet.
... in five years’ time I see myself as a professional with a high command of Colombian cuisine, […] representing my home country. I have no doubt about that.
On the other hand, the world of baking also really appeals to me. It’s an unknown world; I feel as though the dough was alive, that is why you need to treat it well! My goal is to build on my knowledge and to work with different types of flours to help people with different needs, such as people who are gluten intolerant. […] I would love to launch a product of my own. I also want to be able to showcase my work, my food and my culture, and found a place where people could sit down and enjoy Colombian food.
About Natalia Echeverri.
Natalia Echeverri is the Head Chef at the Colombian Embassy in the United Kingdom.
Having received a technical degree as a chef from the Colombia National Learning Service (SENA) in 2003, Natalia joined the team of the prestigious Club el Nogal in Bogotá, Colombia.
During her five year tenure at the Club el Nogal, she gained experience working in its seven kitchens, attaining the position of Second Cook. While working there, she also earned degrees in Fine Pastries with Master Pastry Chef Hobany Velasco; and as Gastronomy Instructor from the Universidad Externado.
In 2011, she completed a degree as Chef and Cooking Instructor from the Panamerican Forum, through which she got a new appointment as trainer at the restaurant of the National Hotel, Tourism and Food Centre, where she had previously been trained.
As the Head Chef at the Colombian Embassy in London, Natalia has participated in many events with distinguished guests including multiple visits by the Colombia President Juan Manuel Santos, Ambassadors from various diplomatic missions in London and top personalities from the world of politics, culture, sport and business.
In recent years, Natalia has also been involved in the annual Colombian Food Festival, where she has had the opportunity to work with top Colombian chefs Harry Sasson, Diana García and Juanita Umaña.
Natalia has a great desire for self-improvement and well-defined professional goals in mind. This short film (in Spanish) shows how she started her career in London in 2012.
Culinaria Colombiana de Exportación